Mythic Beasts
by Conflo Ashton
Summary: With the fall of team WTCH at the hands of team RWBY Salem has gone into hiding. Twenty years later a new threat has appeared. Half-Grimm abominations striking and tearing apart settlements. The time has come for a new generation of heroes to rise. This is the beginning of team BYST. (Blood, Death, Dark themes, Brutal Violence, and Sexual Situations)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The two Dragons

"You're gonna be a strong huntress just like team RWBY my girl, and like you're old man. You've got a ton of aura coming off you, Tia." The auburn-haired child caught her breath from the aura release and grimaced as she narrowed her forest green eyes at her father.

"But I don't want to be old like you dad!" This got a laugh of her father.

"You're so much like you're mother. I always knew you'd be smart when you aren't even in combat school yet. You're going to be incredible my dear." The little girl smiled at the praise from her father. The father and daughter pair, Tia's remaining parent grabbed his scroll and checked the signal. It was fairly strong.

Tia followed her father with a simple dust gun, the girl and the retired huntsman stalked quietly through a small forest a substantial distance outside of Mistral. Tia went over the technique her father had drilled into her from a very young age. _When you're outside of the house, outside of the kingdom, keep focus, and keep your emotions in line. You're in hostile territory but remember. You don't have to kill every Grimm you see. Sometimes if you're quiet and your mind is blank they ignore you. If you attack them you attract more of them with the sound of your weapon. Not to mention scare off all the game in the area._ She looked around and her father suddenly straightened out his hand in a gesture to stop. The pair halted their movement and crouched low to the ground.

A group of black figures wandered through the dense forest ground. A pack of Beowolves lead by a larger and more armored alpha. They showed no reaction to the close presence of the two humans. There was a crashing of a much larger shape moving through the forest towards the pack. Tia and her father pressed lower to the ground as an aura of malice pressed in, they struggled to keep the fear from their minds to keep themselves hidden. A grimm unlike either of them had seen before stepped from the trees, it walked on two legs with a stoop. Mismatched forelimbs, one being almost completely human the other a bone-armor plated talon that took some of the weight in a lumbering three-legged shamble. Shockingly, it appeared to be wearing clothes similar to an actual human. Scraps of a cloak hung off the shoulders of the beast with a rusted gold chain and heavy boots and trousers. It approached the alpha. The big Beowolf snarled territorially and began to rear up on its hind legs to threaten the intruder. Bat-like wings unfolded from the back of the strange monster, it reared back and spread the wings. It was far taller than the alpha. Its growl shook the trees as it glared down at the Beowolf alpha. The grimm actually expressed fear as the glowing eyes dimmed and it averted it's eyes from the gaze of the odd creature. With the dominance shown the oddly shaped creature began to growl and snarl with soft roars and short barks.

Mr. Matthias' eyes popped wide as he realized that this strange abomination and the Beowolves were communicating. There was a series of sparks that rushed along the skin of the odd monster like an aura breaking. The beast slowly reached over with its massive hand and dug its claws into the flesh of the smaller arm. Black blood came away on the tips of the claws. Several slow sludgy drops hit the ground with almost audible splats. The monster leaned down close to the spots of black blood. Energy flowed from it and into the small pools of black blood. The blood pools shuddered and began to transform. Black figures rose from them white and red began to flow from them as they assumed a familiar shape. Beowolves were being spawned from the blood of this monster! The aura-like effect happened again and the wounded arm slowly began to repair itself. An unspoken command was issued through a few gestures from the older Matthias to his daughter. _Follow me slowly, and keep quiet._ Keeping her eyes on her footing to avoid unnecessary disturbances and twig breaking the pair slowly began to stealth away as the Beowolf pack moved off, with a few fresh new members, they started moving with purpose like they had been given orders. The pair ghosted away and realized that the unique monster hadn't left with the pack. As they slipped back a safe distance away. Red eyes flashed and a reptilian nose and jaw began to work as it sniffed the air.

As they moved Mr. Matthias pulled out his scroll and contacted the emergency huntsman service. He whispered quick words describing what he saw and outlined that him and his daughter are outside near this abomination. "Do you hear me huntsman command? It's spawning grimm from nothing but the beast's blood, we need assistance immediately. I don't care who, we need _some_ help."

"A huntress has been dispatched to your location, just hold out for about fifteen minutes." Huntsman command from the CT replied from the quiet scroll. The call ended and the pair began to move faster at the sound of a loud screech a short distance away. _He picked up our scent._ The sound of massive wing beats and crashing through the upper canopies of the forest rushed toward them. The ex-huntsman drew his two weapons, a pair of hand cannon revolvers with short blades under the barrels. "Let's run for it Tia, I'll try to slow it down!" The massive winged figure crashed through the trees above them it swooped down, a blast from one of the weapons impacted the wings of the draconic monster, sending it crashing to the ground. It rolled awkwardly from the impact the small arm with very fine human-like fingers reached to the back of the creature and detached a massive weapon. It was a straight handle, with two flat blades on either side of it. A weapon designed to cleave through entire trees but not pierce a target, the front part of the swords were rounded, it had a crescent-shaped guard along the handle in the middle of the two large sword blades. The huntsman was even more confused. _Why is a grimm using a real weapon?!_ Then with a mixture of shock and anger he recognized the weapon, and in a flash saw the long cleaving wounds left in each of his teammates, they were too fine to be left by a grimm. _This monster was the murderer who hunted down my teammates?!_ Buying time forgotten he decided to kill this creature himself. "Keep going Tia, he's mine!" He skidded to a stop with his dual revolvers and faced the monster. The resolute confidence in the voice of Tia's father brooked no argument. She kept running as her father stopped and faced the creature that was now pursuing on foot. _I'll get to cover and aid him from a distance, I have a gun too._ She retreated to a safe distance and began to climb a tree for a vantage point and began to set up her aim. Matthias stood and opened fire as he and the creature began to move at once. He ducked and dodged as the huge figure slashed wildly at him with the massive blade. The impact of the weapon instantly rendered several trees to stumps. Luckily it allowed the smaller huntsman to move and dodge freely with reduced obstacles. Blasts of burning hot fire impacted an invisible barrier just short of the grimm's flesh and dispersed. It was time for the child's eyes to widen. _It actually has an aura… what is this thing?_ She checked her now quite clear sight lines on the big monster.

The huntsman began to feel fatigue start to encroach on his muscles, but he could feel his aura flow into them and the pain would vanish. _Damn I haven't fought like this in a long time!_ His aura was maintaining his stamina. As long as he avoided getting slammed by this creature he could eventually wear it down. Several intense minutes of gunfire and crashing giant swords the grimm-like monster staggered, sparks of reddish-black light raced along the surface of its skin as one of the shots broke through the aura of the monster. A blast impacted the shoulder of the beast. It flinched and snarled before collapsing and going still, black blood oozing from the fist-sized hole in the shoulder. The huntsman took a step forward and took aim at the horned head of the downed creature. It hadn't vanished yet, so it wasn't dead. The monster suddenly exploded to its feet. The humanoid hand reached to the wounded shoulder and flung the black blood everywhere. One corner of the toothy maw tilted up and it produced a slight hissing sound, almost like laughter. Dozens of small bipedal grimm of the Creep species began to grow from the drops of blood scattered everywhere. Matthias fired on the grimm spawner. It raised the bony talon to block the attacks. Suddenly the huntsman found himself assailed from all angles by small teeth and charging horned skulls. He spun his revolvers by their trigger guards as they rapidly began to transform. The short bayonets extended and folded out. They covered the pistol barrels and the revolver chambers collapsed to spread the weight out. The pistols became a pair of short scimitars. Aura flowed off the blades, the blades barely touched some of the Creep but a flash of red light ripped through them. He had his hands full as the still slowly bleeding behemoth began to move forward to attack again. The massive blade the monster wielded began to transform. One of the blades on the end of the handle slid along the guard to meet the other half of the weapon, the guard folded out and straightened into a far longer grip. The humanoid and beast-like arm of the monster gripped the thing. The monster reared back, its legs and back straightened, taking an almost upright posture. It raised the monstrous greatsword and brought it down. The huntsman barely saw the attack in time the impact of the weapon striking the ground near him sent him stumbling. A Creep grabbed his leg in its teeth and began to shake him about. He felt the fangs struggle to pierce his aura, the scimitar chopped off the upper half of the Creep's head it released his leg before collapsing and starting to disappear. The monster lunged with the greatsword held high. Matthias was off-balance so he couldn't avoid the strike.

 _Krraaaannggg!_

A mix between the sound of an explosion and a boom like a church bell rang out. The huntsman's feet are pushed deep into the ground as the impact forces him to one knee. He squirted out from beneath the pressure of the massive sword to avoid being crushed to death. He skidded and maintained his balance until one of his legs got snagged by a root from a tree. He rolled and tried to get to his feet only to find himself getting run over by one of the Creep. The impact sent him rolling, he was able to recognize when his aura was about to break from years of fighting. _Damn bastard, I'd be able to kill it if he wasn't spawning these things!_ Tia took aim as the monster closed in on her father and raised the massive sword. She aimed to shoot the creature in the head. She hoped the rifle was powerful enough to pierce the partially armored skull of the beast.

 _Bang!_

The bullet flew out, as the sword came down the monster's head moved. The bullet collided with a horn and it broke off. The sword slammed into the ground an inch away from the elder Matthias. The humanoid hand reached up to where the horn had been before. It looked directly at her despite the foliage providing cover. It gave a snarling hiss and lifted the sword away and started shambling towards the girl hiding in the tree. "No, no no! No! Get out of here Tia, run now!" The panicked shouts from Matthias rang out with a desperate edge. He jumped up to attack the back of the creature. The massive sword transformed into the twin-blade. A backhanded strike sent the old huntsman flying. Red light flashed from his body as the impact shattered his aura and the monster turned towards him. It pointed with the talon at the girl in the tree. The Creeps began snarling and crashing their way towards her to prevent her from escaping. They were butting the tree with their big heads and gnawing at the bark with their teeth. She yanked the bolt back and fired several shots her accuracy was decent since her targets were mostly stationary. Several shots buried themselves into the base of several Creeps skull plates. But there were still a few more being spawned as the bleeding from the monster hadn't fully stopped yet. Her hand had started shaking as nerves and the knowledge that the base of the tree growing quite thin as she tried to take aim at the creature as it closed on the wounded huntsman.

She fired and punched a hole in one of the leathery wings of the monster. It snarled in pain but continued to approach the huntsman who was struggling to his feet. The twin scimitars came up to defend him. But without aura, a huntsman is just an armed human against the grimm. Tia rapidly ratcheted another round into place, but her mind was starting to panic and her hands were shaking more violently. _Come on, come on, go, go, go!_

Matthias sighed as he found himself facing this creature, fatigue starting to eat into his muscles and soreness from exertion started to creep into his pain tolerance, with no aura to dull the pain. _Dust… It's been a little over ten minutes. I just hope that huntress gets here before they corner Tia. I can't fight like this._ His legs were starting to shake from exhaustion as well. _I can't run either. Damn it! I could've taken him!_ The sound of a bullet deflecting off of a tree nearby made him smile. _She's got a lot of spirit, I hope this doesn't leave too much of a scar._ A strike with only a small amount of force was met by the two swords. The weight of the grimm's weapon pressed back and the edge dug itself into his shoulder, a line of red began soaking into his shirt, as he strained to lift the weapon up out of the position. The human arm wielding the weapon suddenly swung up, the second blade came in with an upward slash. He was off balance from lifting the weapon out of the wound in his shoulder. The second blade caught him in the chest, ripping him open from belly to neck in a horrible diagonal cut.

"No-!" Tia's scream was cut off, all panic and fear abandoned her. The rifle fell from her nerveless grasp. All thought abandoned her entirely. She felt an itch start to crawl along her skin. Her aura tingled with very strange sensation. She looked down at her hand, her skin was starting to transform, it began to redden, and it dried and started to look scaly, like a reptile. Her forearms started to feel muscle start to grow and increase in size. The bones in her fingers extended, and her nails became thicker and longer, turning into sharp talons. Her forest green eyes were consumed in a reddish orange wildfire. _Strong… I can help, I can fight!_ A beast howled, Tia looked down and realized that it was her own voice. _I don't care what's happening to me, but I have to fight or die!_ She dropped from the tree and started tearing into the Creeps surrounding the tree with her bare hands. Heads flew as her claws ripped through the flesh of the creatures. Bone armor fractured and broke under the crushing blows of the young child. Something strange was guiding her actions. She didn't receive very much combat training from her father. Despite that she was fighting like an animal, sometimes running on all fours. She actually had a very intense urge to bury her teeth in the neck of one of the Creeps she was fighting. She was frightened by how calm and even her movements were as her body dispatched all the Creep. She came back to herself in a rush fear, panic, confusion all crashed over her in a chorus of voices. Pain racked her head, she began to feel dizzy, and through rapidly tilting vision she saw the monster striding towards her. Alarms were dimly going off in her head to move, run and escape. The wings of the monster snapped once, the creature launched into the air and dropped to land right in front of Tia. The momentum of the landing was added as a talon reared back and backhanded the child, sending the girl flying and crashing against a tree.

Her vision was consumed with a red veil of blinding pain. Remarkably her aura hadn't been broken yet. The silence and the change happened again, before hitting the ground from striking the tree she flipped and landed perfectly on her feet. Her momentum sending her feet skidding along the ground, she dug her claws into the dirt to help slow her down. She scrabbled forward as the monster raised its massive sword and brought it down. She shifted her weight off of one hand and rolled out of the way as the blade impacted the ground. Dirt flew out from beneath her feet as she darted forward her talon slashed out and the sharp edge raked across the monster's chest. It screeched in pain as black blood began to gush from the slash on the chest. A swarm of Creeps began to grow from the blood, there were far too many to fight and Tia found herself overwhelmed. She broke free from the mass grip of these creatures in time to have the talon of the grimm spawner grab her by the head with the huge talon and slam her into the ground. She struggled against the weight of the talon more scales formed, creeping further up along her shoulder, along her chest beneath her shirt and even up her neck and onto her face. She barely managed to lift the claw and roll free. She was able to move about for only half a second before a Creep dug its teeth into her shoulder, a flickering of red light happened as the fangs broke through her aura. Energy drained from her body and she collapsed to one knee, blood began to come from her shoulder beneath the fangs. The Creep held her in place as the monster raised the sword for a strike at the helpless girl in front of it. The stance was similar to the blow dealt to the girl's father. _I was too weak to protect what was mine, even what was the most important, not someone else's life, or even my own._ The impact of the blade laid the girl out flat, red flowing from her chest at the massive gash left by the blade.

There was a rumble of a bullhead approaching from the distance. The monster looked up and began to hastily retreat leaving the Creep to slowly surround the bleeding girl and start licking their chops. Tia's vision began to blur as she started to lose consciousness. There was a crash and an explosion of heat, followed by the sounds of gunfire and of bones shattering. The other Creeps turned and rushed forward only to be launched backwards by a powerful force. Tia's eyes closed as a flash of gold entered her vision. And a voice that sounded too far away reached her ears.

 _Weak…_

 _Too weak… not strong enough to protect what's yours._

 _Too weak to even protect your own life let alone the life of another._

 _Another… your father, anyone else's life._

 _Everything will be taken from you because you are too weak to protect it, and take it back._

 _All because you're weak._

 _Weak…_

 _Take it back…_

The voices echoed around the mind of Tia as she floated in a void of thought. The voices began to sound louder, stacking on top of each other until they were just an indistinct boggle of deafening noise. The voices became raised to shouts and screams. Until a single bellow of wrath drowned out all the voices with the roar of a beast. She opened her eyes and found herself in her room, but it was shimmering like a mirage, like nothing was real and this fragment of her life would disappear as soon as she moved. She cautiously took a step forward and looked around she found herself looking at a mirror. Suddenly her reflection gave a condescending smirk and began to speak. "You might be weak, but I'm the one who will help you take back whatever's stolen from you."

"You're that creature from before that took control of me." Red scales flowed along the reflection's body and the reflections green eyes turned a fiery orange and red.

"Yes, I am your Semblance, I am you." An itch started to form and she looked down at her hand. Red scaled skin flowed along the back of her hand and the claws appeared again. She looked at the mirror again and with a flash of terror saw the monster again, it crashed through the mirror and it's talon grabbed her by the neck, crushing and squeezing.

Tia took a sharp breath as her eyes snapped open, she was in a hospital, her throat and chest ached. She was hooked up to an EKG its soft beeps rang throughout the room. It was night outside. She looked up and started to slightly incline her head. A figure was sleeping in the chair across from her bed. A massive mane of golden hair flowed from her head towards the floor. The woman had a mechanical left arm. Her head was resting on her right arm. Tia tried to speak but as soon as she tried unbelievable pain came from her throat, the sound came out as a painful croak. The woman's head slipped off her hand and the sudden drop shocked her awake. She quickly got up and approached Tia. Resting her hand on top of the child's the woman spoke soothingly. "Calm down, you're safe here. My name's Yang Xiao Long." Tia's eyes widened as she started to mouth the name. _The gold dragon Xiao Long! She's part of team RWBY!_ She sat up stiffly and held out her hand and made a scribbling gesture with her other pointer finger. Yang quickly got her a pencil and a sheet of paper. She wrote a question down on the paper and held it up for Yang to see. "Where's my dad?" The lilac eyes of Yang became downcast, and she didn't say anything. A creeping terror stole inter Tia's mind at the huntresses silence.

"I'm sorry, we managed to recover him, but apparently his injuries were enough to kill him almost immediately. Strangely, you got hit by the same kind of strike but weren't cut near as deep as your father." A flash of memory relating to the creature that used Tia's body to fight the grimm and the hard scales it made. She looked down at her damaged body and tears began to flow. Yang hugged the girl gently as she began to sob quietly. Tia's arms came up and hugged the woman back.

Several weeks passed and Tia was getting stronger, the new Atlas aura reinforcement was working wonders on healing her body. The wounds on her shoulder and chest were almost fully healed. Unfortunately the fine structures of her vocal cords would take far longer to recover. She could still speak, but it was quite painful. Yang had visited her every day and talked to her. "So, the combat school is going to be letting in new students in a few weeks. Are you going to go?" The girl took a very stern expression and nodded firmly. She scribbled down a note and showed it to Yang.

"There's something that needs to be killed before it can take more from anyone else." Yang looked concerned at the note.

"What are you talking about?" Tia jotted down a description of the monster that attacked her and her father. Yang looked at the description. Tia noticed her hand tremble slightly as she started to reach the end of the note. When she put the note down the nerves were gone from her face.

"That thing is crazy, so that's where the sword wound came from. A grimm that has an aura and uses a weapon. It's almost unbelievable. So you want to kill this thing?" Tia nodded enthusiastically. "You'll need more than yourself to bring down something like that." Tia grimaced and replied.

"Nobody will believe that there's a creature like this out there, it's too horrible, and people will think it's only a myth. A crazy story imagined by a terrified little girl." Yang sighed and shrugged.

"Remnant is a big world. Someone out there is going to believe you. I believe in you." Tia hugged Yang in thanks. The woman gently made the girl release her grip. "This will be the last time I visit you. There are questions that need answering, but I'll give you something to remember me until we meet again." The woman undid the yellow scarf around her neck and handed it to Tia. "It's been nice seeing you my friend." Yang said before leaving the room. Tia looked out the window. She concentrated and saw her reflection. She tied the scarf around her neck tight enough to be comfortable. A smile began to creep along her face as she looked at herself. _I will be strong, to honor my friend, and my father. I will be the greatest huntress. Nobody will be able to take anything from me._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Snake and the Manticore

The boy panted as he dashed through the slums of Mistral quick eyes missing nothing the young child dodged and avoided every obstacle while using them to slow his pursuers. "Get back here you little bastard!" He chuckled in between breaths. _All according to plan, I'll let them catch up, and then they'll regret ever becoming my enemies._ The three bullies and the boy had been steadily building to a head for a long time. You can only stand up to a bully so many times before they become violent and try to assert some kind of dominance. His tawny eyes flickered back and forth as he assembled the fourth stage in his plan. He sped around a corner to a dead end. The alley was narrow enough for only one of his bulky pursuers to enter at a time. _Alright now, acting bit don't fail me._ He turned and held up his hands in a surrendering gesture. "I give up!" The larger bully and his two flunkies crowded into the alley.

"What did you say Shin?" The boy sighed and lowered his hands.

"I give up, I can't run anymore and you've caught up to me. But don't assume beating me down is going to get me to respect you. I'm not strong enough to stop you." The foolish bully a few years older than Shin took the non-fighting stance as an opportunity to approach and attack unhindered. Shin backed up fearfully. He carefully scraped his back foot along the ground searching for that big piece of wood he had left here earlier. He felt it snag on the heel of his shoe and knew he would win this fight. As the bully closed in and swung a punch the dense sinew of the much smaller person fired like a gunshot. He swayed back to avoid the punch as he flicked his back leg up. Sending the piece of wood flying a short distance into the air, he caught it midflight and in a smooth motion brought it crashing down on the head of his attacker. His first target went limp. Shin grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him flat so he could get at his next target. A trio of vicious stabs to the gut winded the second to the point where he collapsed holding his stomach and gasping for breath. Shin stepped forward and spun the makeshift staff. An upward strike clipped the chin of the final target. Sending him staggering backwards, seeing a chance Shin darted forward and pinned him beneath his foot and leveled the staff at his opponent's neck. "You made a mistake crossing me you idiot. I'm the one kid in this town you don't want to piss off. Now get running!" The bully scrambled to his feet, a sweeping strike cracked him right across the butt as he started to move. Shin smirked at the bully sprinting away holding his stinging rear. _Serves them right, thinking they're so big and tough. They haven't been trained by a huntsman, but they're still going to combat school._

The boy hung his staff against his shoulders as he started to head home. He was about to enter the house when he saw his friend, a huntsman come running towards him. He was wounded but he didn't seem slowed by his injuries. "Shin, get in the base now!" The Betram Branwen shouted to him as he was still at a headlong sprint. They quickly entered the house, the door slammed shut, shutters ratcheted into place and the low-class huntsman peered out into the street before collapsing into a chair panting.

"Betram? What's going on? I've never seen you haul ass like that before." He started talking before he recovered his breath.

"Sh- (huff-puff) - Shin… I need to tell you what- what I saw out there." The twenty-one year old huntsman looked at the boy with maroon eyes. "Th-that… _thing_ reminds me of my dad's stories when he was younger. Some of the creations Salem made, this thing was fear itself." He flinched as he adjusted his position to take some pressure off his injured side.

Betram moved through the forest, he had received a notice of a cluster of grimm roaming too close to the walls, he had moved along. But after searching for over forty-five minutes found no trace of any grimm in the area. _They must've moved off, or someone got to them before me._ Betram hesitated as he heard a crashing and a roar. He readied to draw his dust straight sword as he started to hurry towards the ruckus. Approaching quietly he watched the proceedings. He saw the legs of a person, and the figure's upper body was a monstrous two headed serpent King Taijitu. The sound of hissing and growls and snarls as the odd snake monster appeared to communicate to a group of Ursa.

Shortly after Betram had stumbled on the gathering the Taijitu stopped and nodded in a direction with the white patterned head. The group of four Ursi began to move purposefully in the direction the monster indicated. The huntsman pulled back and hid as the snake gave a hissing breath. A sound of tearing flesh and snapping bone and hisses of pain turned into uncomfortable grunts. The pitch of the voice increased to a woman's voice. There was a sigh of relief and the sounds of human footsteps of someone walking off. Betram gave a sigh of relief as he took off in the direction of Mistral once again. He froze when he heard a voice nearby.

"Hey there! Did you receive the message too?" The voice was the same as what he heard earlier. Betram turned slowly as he tried to keep his voice level. One of his hands rested casually on the hilt of his sword.

"Yeah, but I didn't find anything, did you?" The woman shook her head one half of her hair was black streaked with white and the reverse on the other side. She had angular features that gave her a rustic beauty. She had a silver ring on each pointer finger.

"No, I guess they dispersed after all, I guess we should head back then." Then Betram noticed the strange woman looking at him with the strangest expression as she looked him up and down. "Actually, I've got a better idea." Her voice took a different tone than before, more suggestive. She stepped towards the huntsman and stood within arm's reach. _Wow, she's quite shorter than me… idiot! She's a snake! Did you forget already?_ He found his face cradled between the woman's delicate fingers and was gently being brought down into a kiss. He brushed her hands aside and straightened up.

"Thanks for the offer, miss. But I'm far from being in the mood." He turned and started walking away. He only realized his mistake when he heard the woman speak again. It was mostly in a whisper but still loud enough for him to hear.

"You saw me change didn't you?" He tensed at the sound of a soft whine like a motor. The half-grimm's weapons shot from her sleeves, a pair of yo-yo's attached to fine wire connected to the rings on her fingers. Reacting on instinct the huntsman leaned to the side and ducked at once. The weighted yo-yos smashed a chunk out of a tree where his head had been a second ago. His eyes bugged at the impact the weapons made. _What the hell are those things made out of?_ He drew his dust sword and he triggered his bloodline semblance, a glyph formed under his feet, the glyph triggered and he shot to one side as a follow-up strike came looping in from the spinning weights. The rotating chamber switched over to fire dust as he used a series of small glyphs to maintain his movement speed as he rapidly circled the hostile. A swathe of fire was launched as he swung his dust-charged weapon. Her weapons retracted with audible slaps into the palms of her hands and she vaulted backwards over the wave of fire. The dust imbuing his weapon spun and he struck the ground with the edge, a wave of ice erupted from the ground. The woman collided mid-flight into the ice. He mentally thanked his aunt for some of her fighting tips relating to dust. Dark force spiraled out of one of her arms as it rapidly stretched and thickened. In an instant the black head of a King Taijitu was striking at him with its fangs. It smashed through the ice barrier and tried to latch onto his shoulder, the fangs stopped against his aura. He jumped back to avoid taking any more damage. The woman's second yoyo zipped in and slammed into his stomach, sending him flying backwards. _That attack almost broke my aura in one shot!_ He caught himself on one hand and managed to skid to a stop. He nursed his stomach for half a second as he tracked what the woman was going to do next. Instead of rushing forward to kill him she was casually approaching, her arm turned back into a human form and she was just doing simple tricks with her weapons, dangling them spinning at the end of their threads. Making them do slow, ponderous loops over her head.

"This is the part where you start running little boy." Her voice carried a sibilant hiss as she licked her lips. Apparently her humanoid form was a snake faunus. She had a strangely thin forked toungue. He started to stagger away but one of her yoyos snapped out and slammed into his side punching through his aura and breaking skin, the rotation boring into him. He clutched his side and gritted through the pain as he took off at a headlong sprint with the smaller woman slowly stalking him.

"So yeah, now I'm being hunted by some dust damned snake woman. But I'm exhausted. It won't be long for her to hunt me down." Shin noticed his friend be uncommonly pale. He steadily reached out and felt his forehead. He pulled his hand back quickly.

"You're burning up bro… did you get sick, or cut?" He looked closely at the shoulder Betram was concentrated on shielding. There was shallow, bleeding scratch on the back of his shoulder blade the skin around it was turning green and his bloodvessels were turning deep red around the wound. "Betram, you've got a cut on your shoulder, it looks infected." The huntsman's eyes widened sharply in fear, he held up his right hand, and flexed it. It was starting to twitch and spasm.

"No… no no no. I was sure my aura deflected those fangs. I've been poisoned, the exertion of sprinting back here spread the poison. I'm starting to feel it, my body is starting to break down faster than my aura can heal me." For once in a long time Shin felt fear for his companion.

"Are you going to die?" He asked trying to keep his voice from shaking. The huntsman shrugged.

"Not sure, I might collapse into a coma to stop the spread of the poison while my body very slowly gets rid of it. But that thing is still hunting me. I doubt I can hide from her for long. Listen buddy, I've got something to give you." He suddenly said struggling to his feet and reaching behind him for something. Shin approached curiously at what the huntsman was offering, he put out his hand nervously. Betram grabbed it and suddenly yanked him into a firm hug. Shin came up a little over half his friend's chest. He suddenly felt strange as they both began to glow. He heard a voice that echoed from the real world and back against his own mind. "For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release your soul, and by my shoulder protect thee." Betram released the boy and staggered slightly as his breathing started to become labored. Shin looked confused and noticed the subtle glow surrounding his hands.

"You just…"

"Yeah." There was a moment where neither of them spoke. "It's been an honor to be your friend. But you really need to get out of here. Use the secret exit so nobody can trace that you had been here. She'll come after you too if she figures out I told her secret to someone. Join the orphanage system, find some parents that you like, and get some education. Stay safe Shin." Shin sighed as he fought to contain tears.

"I guess there's nothing I can do, can I?"

"Well, you can do what I asked, and live a life that doesn't have to involve scrabbling around the streets. Especially without me to help looking out for you, you'd best get to living your own. I'll see you eventually." Betram replied with finality as he drew his sword with his fully active hand. A figure could be seen moving about outside. Shin moved and pulled up a series of planks that were attached to each other but nothing else opening a hole to a dried-up sewer. He pulled the slats back over the hole as he dropped down and started moving. His façade broke as he bit his lip. He took off sprinting for the manhole a few blocks away from the house. He crawled up and looked in the direction of the house.

A massive glyph appeared beneath it, spinning in a snowflake pattern, the Schnee symbol. It started off black as it swirled for a few seconds. Then it flashed a rainbow of colors in an instant and a massive explosion was heard, as the entire house was launched skyward and obliterated in a wave of manipulated gravity. He broke down and sobbed as he solemnly marched towards the orphanage. Despite the massive weight that had landed on his heart, his mind hadn't slowed. _Sorry Betram, but I'm going to have to modify our promise. That creature is going to die, horribly at my hands. I need to become stronger first._ A small flash of insight wormed its way through his mind. _There are creatures that look humanoid in this world, but they're also grimm. Grimm have no soul, yet these monsters have aura. There could be countless numbers of them hiding among the ranks of those with souls._ He looked on determined with his teeth gritted. _They won't be able to hide, I'm a master of lying, and they won't be able to trick me._ He relaxed his features into his saddened face as he began laying out his plans for the future. Under that curly blond hair was a factory of information.

He approached the orphanage and walked inside, he began calculating what he needed to say to get free shelter and maybe a temporary foster family as a real base of operations. He started a tearful conversation with the woman managing accepting children off the street. He did a trick he had learned through practice of baiting his opponents into dropping their guard. He made the truth fly on the wind of lies. He seriously had nowhere else to go, his only guardian had perished in the mysterious explosion not too long ago, and he had been suggested to head here. He lied about small details that weren't really important, but made his story a little more convincing. With a pinch of acting he managed to talk himself into the orphanage.

After a few weeks he found himself lucky. He spotted an opportunity to bunk with a foster family in a big house, enough room for a bunch of kids at once he smiled as he managed to convince them to let him join. _Phew… that was easier than I expected, I guess I should count myself lucky._ The eleven year-old signed up for combat school that was going to be in session not long from now. _Everything is set, I simply need to pull the trigger and ride the momentum._ One of four combat schools in all of Mistral was now going to be where he would receive basic training. He didn't care if he was going to have to work himself half-to-death every single day, he _would_ achieve his goal, no matter what.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The Scorpion and the Griffin

The town of Verin was an attempt at expansion of the kingdom of Mistral. It was only about a hundred miles from the kingdom itself. There were mild natural barriers, but not so much as the kingdom itself. So after a secure period the town became a heavily fortified area. Walls high enough that no grimm could easily climb over. Automated cannons to obliterate any grimm that moved too close. As well as a handful of heavy anti-air weapons to counter any Nevermores and Gryphon grimm that attempt to infiltrate from the skies. Despite the heavy militarization there was a small and prosperous community. Yeira Wenday studied for the opening of the combat school in Mistral. She was begging her family to move there so that she could apply for it. They had come to an agreement, if she gets high scores on all her basic education they'll move to the city by the end of the year before the combat school opens. Her father's primary career was serving as one of the guards of the town. She looked up to him but felt that her calling lead to something greater.

She had an odd sense when a stranger appeared in the frontier town the guards stopped the woman at the gate she held up huntress identification. Then she walked into the town, shortly after making it into the gate the woman started to slow down, her stride became an exhausted tread. Her balance appeared to shift and she staggered to land heavily on a bench near the road. Yeira approached the woman she felt like she had seen her somewhere before. Brilliant crimson hair in a long ponytail, coppery skin, and when she addressed the woman her eyes slowly opened, they were a bright vibrant green. "Hello." She had a kind voice that had some cheer in it despite being slightly hoarse from exhaustion. Yeira approached the bench but didn't sit down.

"You walk a long way lady?" The woman nodded silently. "So you're a huntress?" She nodded again. "What's your name?"

"Classified." Yeira shifted on her feet awkwardly.

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you here? Or is that classified too?"

"You would be correct." The huntress replied curtly. _Are all huntsmen and huntresses like this?_ Yeira though suspiciously. _If I want to be a huntress, I need to be able to at least figure out the intentions of someone else._ Then the girl had an idea.

"You look exhausted. My parents would love to have you over for lunch." The huntress smiled slightly as she stood up.

"That actually sounds lovely." The woman wore a metal and leather breastplate that covered her entire chest and most of the way down her stomach with a bronze armored combat skirt and greaves that ended in heels. Yeira felt a little proud of herself as she led the huntress back to her home.

"Hello!" She walked into the house and called out to her parents.

"There you are Yeira, and who's your friend?"

"Don't know her name, but she's a huntress and she traveled a long way to get here. She's tired and took my offer to come over for lunch." Her parents welcomed the huntress. She smiled and sat down as Yeira's mother started preparing lunch for everyone. "So what brings you to the town Miss Huntress?" The mother asked casually.

"I'm afraid I can't tell that information." The huntress replied firmly. After an enjoyable family lunch the huntress' scroll suddenly rang. She sighed and apologized and quickly left the home. Yeira got a little antsy and curious as to what the nice huntress would be doing. So she quickly left and began tailing her. The huntress was moving with a purpose so the girl had to jog to keep her in sight.

The huntress approached the security center near the wall, and went inside. Yeira reached the door and found the guards unconscious. She followed the hallway towards the sound of fighting. Her eyes widened horrified as she turned a corner and saw a soldier, dead, a pool of blood spreading beneath him. Something had punched clean through his armor. Several guards had puncture wounds like something had ripped its way through them. Others had a fine wound directly to the heart. She suddenly felt dizzy. Yeira stumbled against a wall as her lunch fled her body and onto the floor.

She staggered along the wall in the direction of the fighting. _Why am I not running away? I have to know if it was that woman, that nice huntress who killed these people._ Fighting down the urge to vomit again as the smell of blood and gore only became stronger she struggled on. The finally reached the control room and heard a crashing noise and loud snaps of electricity. She peeked into the door and was horrified. The woman's copper skin was gone replaced by a pale, ghostly visage. Her green eyes were replaced with solid red disks that left trails of light as she moved. She rammed the point of a long-handled spear through a control console. A bleeding guard crawled along the ground to reach his weapon. He grabbed the pistol and fired a few shots at the woman. The bullets bounced off her aura a small dark glyph appeared on her back, a slender black tail ending in a sharp stinger grew from the mark and impaled the guard through the stomach. She didn't even need to turn around to dispatch the guard. The creature pulled out her scroll and contacted someone. "Alright, the defenses are down. When do you want me to open the gate? Seven thirty? Ok I can hold the position for a little while longer until everyone gets here." The monster looked around the room and saw nobody standing at the door.

Yeira sprinted and stumbled down the hallway out of the security station sobbing for breath as she slipped on pools of blood and tripped over bodies. She couldn't understand what was happening. Her mind was blank other than an urge to flee and a pounding in her ears.

She burst into her house and panted and sobbed out what she saw to her parents. They appeared to doubt what she said. However their daughter seemed so terribly distraught that they considered what she was saying to be true. "It does make sense in a way. A strange huntress turning up, not giving her name or objective, could be some kind of infiltrator. So we're all in danger. You said seven thirty? It's seven 'o'clock right now." They immediately started gathering some of their possessions. Food for the travelling and heading for one of the side entrances of the wall. Neira Wenday spoke as they started towards Mistral proper. "It's only a day or two's march from here to Mistral. I'm calling my sister and telling her we'll be coming over." Her husband Talos nodded.

"Yeah, we'll just go and hang out for a bit in case something _does_ end up happening, until we're sure it's safe." The family took off at a quick run as an alarm began to blare over the town behind them. A wave of blackness swept across the ground and clouds of dark figures began swooping in. All the defenses had been shut down and all the gates apart from the main gate were sealed, trapping all the people inside. The screams of terror and death carried across the distance to the fleeing family.

Remarkably the trio hadn't been caught by the grimm that had invaded Verin and made it to the walls of the kingdom, they were inside and exhausted. They were met by a woman in a red jacket and beanie, Yeira's aunt. She approached quickly upon noticing the family who had been worn down by very fast cross country travel. "Sis! What happened?" The huntress asked embracing her sister.

"I don't even know May, first this strange huntress appeared, then Yeira came home terrified, and then the town suddenly came under grimm attack. It's all… I don't know."

"Don't worry, you'll be safe here, I'll arrange to get a home for you three." Yeira was confused. _They're talking about what happened, but not about what I said. They… don't believe me._

Over the course of the next few days was fairly pleasant eating bargain food because they didn't bring much Lien to Mistral, though they could access their accounts they had to tighten their belts some. The cheap Pumpkin Pete's cereal floated in her bowl, she noticed the box caught her eye. It was a throwback to over twenty years ago. She looked closely at the picture of the girl on the box. She slowly realized that she had seen that face before. This sent a tremor to the base of her spine and she began to shiver.

 _That woman, there could be more like her. I have to spread the word, but no one will believe me. Then I guess in that case there's only one thing left for me to do._ She began to sign up for the combat school of Mistral. She didn't care that her aura wasn't unlocked. There was a threat to the world. She didn't care if she had to stop it herself. Her hand shook as she filled out the enrollment paper. _Wow, I'm incredibly terrified, but I have to get stronger to stop that thing!_ She steadied her shaking hand with her other hand and finished filling out the paper. Sanctum academy for combat training, she sighed as she signed her name and closed the letter and sent it.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The Unicorn and the Raven

In an alley near the outskirts of Mistral there was a flash, energy crackled through the air a hole opened in the air and something was launched from the strange gate. A young man and his weapon was thrown, he bounced along the ground. Grunting in surprise and pain from the impact, he almost landed on the blade of his weapon. "Ouch! Damn it! Oof!" He ended up rolling to a stop looking pretty dazed. He managed to struggle to his feet. He looked around, not recognizing the location. He found his shield with the sword blade sticking out of the side of it. He tried to remember how he got to this place. But his memory was foggy, he recalled a world in ruin monsters roaming the surface and the humans in hiding, but there was nowhere safe. _I guess I just got sent back in time, I don't know how far though. Or even if the events of the reality I experienced are going to happen again._ He shook his head regretfully. _No, my semblance only sends me to the time and place I'm needed._ He traveled around the outskirts of Mistral looking for a newspaper. He found one, and glared at it suspiciously. _The date is twenty years before where I was before… I think. But there's no indication of the events that occurred then happening now. Maybe I've been sent to a different Remnant, one without those creatures? My semblance has sent me to other worlds before. But I need to know._ He cast the newspaper aside and continued roaming about he realized that he was missing something. He had forgotten his name. Quickly he pulled out his Scroll, he sighed with relief that it still worked. His name was Bastille Unia, his body's age was only twelve, every time his semblance Hand of Fate triggered his body's age reverted to how old he was when his aura got unlocked. He wandered about for evidence. He found his way to a gate and roamed outside. There was a black mass of creatures in the distance. Countless grimm swarming over a town in the distance. He rolled the dice with his other ability to see what it landed on. He smirked satisfied at the result. _So reliable!_ He lobbed a blast of energy. It was really light but carried some mass so it traveled a substantial distance as the boy hurled it. It impacted the ground and it instantly teleported him.

He pulled out a small pair of binoculars and put them up to his face. _Okay, this Remnant has grimm too. I saw humans moving about earlier. So the rules seem about the same as before, but it's going to be an awkward first few days. I haven't been to this era on any of my previous jumps. So I need to grow accustomed to this place. Do they have_ _ **those**_ _creatures though?_ He looked up at the swarm of Griffins and Nevermores circling and swooping over the town. Bastille glared at the creatures and started to get moving. He was tired of spectating. He rolled his power once more. Teleportation again, he mentally thanked his abnormal ability. He hurled the sphere of energy as far as he could. It landed over top of the wall and he found himself teleported inside. People were running about everywhere being chased by all manner of grimm. He growled as he tried to roll for his magic again. It didn't work; he had to wait another minute. Gold Horn came off his back and onto his arm. A bracer with a wrist-mounted dust energy launcher also came up. He didn't want to be vulnerable to ranged attacks.

He noticed a few Beowolves starting to stalk him. His power came online as a trio of the monsters rushed at him. _Ability online: Shockwave._ The three creatures leaped at him. The strange boy raised his hand and a ripple of energy burst from it. It didn't kill them; it just stunned and knocked them down. Bastille's aura gathered around his feet. He exploded forward and was among the downed trio. He skewered one with the blade coming out of his round shield. One tried to lunge at him from the ground, but he stopped it with his shield and blew its head off with his energy bracer sending black blood flying from the stump as the creature began to disappear. He blew a hole in the third grimm that had attempted to attack him before the creature could scramble to its feet.

He heard a screech of a Nevermore. He raised his shield and crouched down as a flurry of feather quills rained from the sky. A blast from his wrist cannon was avoided as the grimm raven wheeled and began to circle high overhead. _Go after the bird, or help out on the ground?_ Another two minutes had passed as the fight had progressed. He rolled his power to decide what to do next. _Ability online: Grappling tether._ He nodded at the reply of his power. If he cleared the air the Nevermores would be unable to mow down bunches of people with their quills. He took careful aim with the arm Golden Horn wasn't attached to. A wispy tether began to manifest itself he locked onto the bird that was circling him.

The tether launched out, coiling around the leg of the bird-like grimm. The boy heaved on the tether, but suddenly realized that wasn't how this power worked. "Oh damn it!" He found himself yanked off his feet as the tether began to draw him to the aerial menace. He had to not fall to his death for the next two minutes until he could use his power again. He landed on the back of the Nevermore he dug the blade on his shield in firmly to make a fixed point as the bird began trying to buck him off mid-air.

He noticed a smaller version of the bird monster spot him and come sailing in to knock him off the back of the giant bird. He dislodged the blade of his weapon and rolled forward to avoid being caught in the charging attack. His used his wrist blaster to fend off the smaller bird as he mentally counted down the seconds. Eighty seconds remaining. A blast ripped through the wing of the smaller Nevermore, sending it spiraling towards the ground as it began to disappear. He managed to keep his balance as the bird he was riding went into a sharp bank. It leveled out, he could feel his power come back online but didn't roll it yet. He checked the situation around him. _Do I really need to use it right now?_ There were still quite a few airborne grimm. There were less Nevermores than he had expected only about three of the big ones, and he had just killed one of the two smaller ones. The rest were griffins that were in position in the air as well as on the ground. He decided to stay in the air a little longer.

He leveled his blaster at the base of the Nevermore's skull as he waited for another of the giant birds to pass close by. Timing it carefully he blew off the head of the Nevermore and dropped down. The blade attached to his shield sparked off the hard feathers on the back of the second Nevermore. He stumbled and had to grab onto the tail of the bird to avoid being thrown off. _Damn it! I remember now, they're tougher than they look._ He would have to blast his way through the steel-like feathers along the back of the grimm. It looped and bent around trying to grab his legs with its beak trying to preen him out of its tail it gave up and started to swoop low to the ground and glide. Bastille felt them start to descend but couldn't react until the ground grabbed onto his legs and pulled him from the tail of the Nevermore. He pulled out his shield and used it like a sled to avoid being demolished by skidding against the ground.

He heard a screech come from above him. Instinctively he jumped off his shield into a roll to avoid a series of feather quills slammed into the ground near him. He looked back and noticed there weren't just quills fired at him. There were a few arrows too, black shafts of arrows with dark feather flights. He heard a screech that sounded oddly like a mix between the Nevermore and a person screaming. He saw a horrifying figure swooping towards him. Talons dug into him and grabbed him by his jacket. The figure flipped and slammed him into the ground before he could react. "Oof!" He grunted. Internally he snarled at himself as the memories of where he was before flashed through him. _I guess I did fail then… there are those creatures here. Just like before._

An image of humanity's twilight dug through his mind like a blade. Despair and fear of the few remaining humans drew grimm as they realized they are witnessing the extinction of their own race. All the strongest warriors had been killed off by one of thousands of grimm with aura, or converted into monsters by those black pools. The negativity feeding into the power of Salem, his last memory of that time consisted of the pale moon in a late phase. The pieces of the moon reassembled itself to full. Then a deep red hue came over the surface of the moon and with a final scream a beam of energy traced the surface of Remnant, destroying everything in its path. Bastille remembered closing his eyes as the beam rushed towards him. Hoping his end would be painless.

His eyes hardened with resolve. _I didn't know what my objective was then… but now I've got it. Killing these abominations!_ He spun his ability with furious intent. _Ability Online: Teleportation._ He was surprised as he noticed the selection of ability. _My power wants me to run away?! Screw that, I'll leave when I kill this thing!_ He and the human-nevermore circled each other as they postured for proper striking position. He noticed that the feathery form had the proportions of a female body. Kind of like a harpy he had come across on a different Remnant. Except this versions torso and lower body was completely covered in feathers. She had wings sprouting from her shoulder blades and her human-like hands had nails like talons. She had a bow in her hands; it appeared to be made from solid metal. Her hand flashed back and drew an arrow. Bastille's gauntlet discharged a shot. The blast of energy met an arrow mid-flight and dispersed with a small explosion in a cloud of dust. She swept through the cloud of dust, the bow folded into a one-handed sword, the string retracted and the center grip of the bow turned into a hilt. The sword clashed against Golden Horn as her long legs stepped in to pin his foot beneath one of her talons. He moved his foot clear, bracing back on it like a spring, he darted forward slamming the shield into the half-grimm.

He leveled his gauntlet at the bird-woman as she swung in with a talon on her leg. She kicked his hand as the weapon discharged a blast off target. The sword blade of Golden Horn came in for a stab but the harpy's sword came around and deflected the seeking point. He used the momentum of the counter in addition to some of his own to power a spinning kick into the beak of the harpy. He had to restrain a snort of laughter at the sound of the squawk of pain from the half-grimm. One of the wings darted forward and slammed into the stomach of the traveler. He felt the strength of the attack drain on his aura as the barb on the front of the wing tried to pierce his flesh. His blaster gauntlet closed over his hand, turning his arm into a club. He swung a downward strike. The impact sent the harpy to one knee, he backhanded her beak sending her stumbling backwards. He saw several other figures rushing towards him. Other half-grimm, he snarled out a chain of swears as he realized that he was outnumbered, he couldn't take on four at once. He hurled the teleportation blast and charged the group as the ability was mid-flight. He took this moment to contribute all his opponents' weapons and abilities to memory. The draconic grimm's large twin blade turned into a giant great sword. He slid on his knees to avoid being decapitated by the giant weapon. A scorpioness lunged on pointed legs and tried to skewer him with a long spear. A pair of giant King Taijitu heads, he couldn't make out much of the human form besides a strong pair of legs. The snake heads opened and a pair of weights on wires. Black and white to match the grimm portion of the monster. He blocked one with his shield and narrowly avoided being entangled by the thread of the second one. The yoyo-like weapons seemed to be replacing the forked tongues of the snake heads. He was almost surrounded when suddenly he was teleported outside of the town.

Aura swirled around the boy as he took a running stance, the aura gathered in his legs as he kicked off the ground. A chunk of earth was knocked loose as he charged for the city. He had to put as much distance between him and the town as fast as possible. The traveler wouldn't be surprised if he had a shockwave cone forming behind him. He came sprinting up to the main gate and slipped inside just before it closed. As he recovered his breath he noticed a small family being comforted by a huntress. One of the guards stopped him and started asking questions.

"What the hell? Who are you, kid? You're too young to be a huntsman."

"Town… destroyed… too… too many grimm. Had to get out, I'm sorry." The two guards looked at each other, one of them shrugged nonplussed at the situation before responding.

"Okay… but why were you there? And you haven't answered who you are yet." Bastille found no reason to lie to the guards.

"I was passing by, saw some trouble, and thought I could help. I'm a traveler by the name Bastille Unia." The guard who was doing most of the talking circled the boy doubtfully.

"Seriously? You're a little young to be traveling on your own, where are your parents?" The boy shrugged and shook his head.

"I don't know, we were headed here to get me into Sanctum academy but we got caught up in a grimm attack. They might be dead, I seriously hope not." _I actually have no memory of any parental figures in my life, so this isn't far from the truth._ He went about talking his way into the city. Luckily he was familiar with this style of culture. A good portion of his memory relating to his previous attempt was present.

He managed to talk his way past the guards and set to work using a mix of guile and his power to sign up for Sanctum academy. _Those things are devastating. I can't take them all on myself, even with my power. Luckily I know exactly where I need to go to form a team to help me._ He was glad he had a substantial amount of time before the end would happen and he would have failed again. _As long as I remember I have never failed a mission twice. I would rather suffer a thousand deaths than let those horrors happen again._

* * *

 **Hi guys, so you've met the team of new heroes. But they have a long way to go don't they? You've met the monsters that hey must defeat in order to save the world. The next chapter begins with the group participating in Sanctum Academy. Then they will finally meet at Haven Academy itself!**


	5. Part 2 Chapter 1

Part 2: Sanctum

Chapter 1

The Dragon's Curse

Tia approached the small building; it wasn't particularly spectacular compared to the glorious architecture of Haven Academy. She had been making a list of what would be needed to kill her enemy she hoped she could actually make the weapon she needed. Six months ago she had begun practicing manipulating her aura and dust. _That monster swarms with the grimm that spawns from its blood, I need the ability to kill many of them in a single stroke. Dust seems like the most effective method for dealing with crowds._ Tia dumped a small pile of wind dust on the floor in the middle of her room and concentrated. She reached out for the dust with her hand as well as her aura. There was a roar as a torrent of wind was unleashed in the contained space of her room. The young girl was hurled about the room as the small cyclone rampaged throughout the space. She ended up dizzy and flat on her back in the center of her room. _Owwww, okay then, I guess I can trigger the dust. But I don't have any control yet, I can reach out with my aura to do things. This is a good start._

Further approaching the building she remembered her beast. The girl looked at her hand, it was normal at the moment, but she could remember the elongated finger bones and sharpened claws jutting in place of her fingernails. _Next on the list, my weapon(s) should be able to be beneficial to when my semblance activates. I feel like some kind of extendable metal claws that follow my fingertips or wrists. My semblance as far as I know makes me incredibly strong in a head on fight._ She could sense a subtle intensity surrounding the articles in her possession, an invisible tether Tia could feel. A barely noticeable whisper repeated itself over and over in her mind, almost within her subconscious.

 _I will protect what's mine, these lowly possessions, are mine._

She felt unease whenever someone strayed too close to Yang's scarf around her neck. Her backpack with basic school supplies as well as a few things to stock a locker and desk. She checked her scroll and made sure the typing function was fully enabled. Her voice had recovered somewhat, although talking felt like she was swallowing sandpaper and left her in unbearable pain. The girl relaxed and let the corners of her mouth tilt up in a small smile. _I won't let my vengeance blind me to what's in front of my eyes. I'm going to become a huntress, like Yang, like what my dad wanted me to become. This is my dream, and I'm going to fight to protect it._

The strange voice whispered almost in response, deliberately with a soft hissing sound. _It's mine._ There were a few tests indicating any base capabilities that any student has. Physical strength as well as aura manipulation, as well as fighting style and hopeful weapon choice were taken into account as well. Apart from basic training and education she would receive extra training in aura manipulation and dust control as per her request. She also would be on the group for advanced unarmed combat training.

Tia found herself following a crowd of new students into the building. The girl found a mysterious looking boy, his hair pale to the point of almost being translucent with a side part, a sharp nose and eyes of deep gold. She felt like he was staring right at her even through the huge crowd of people. As she looked Tia could see the corner of his mouth start to creep upwards in an odd grin. Tia got bumped by someone and looked around to see who ran into her. A rushed apology later Tia looked back and the boy was gone. _Weird... who was that?_

There was an assembly to commemorate the start of a new year of classes, new warriors to train and become heroes. The principal welcomed them to the new school year. The headmistress from Haven was actually visiting for this assembly. She approached the microphone. "Hello everyone! My name is Professor Deus it is a pleasure to meet the new generation of warriors attending Sanctum academy. You must remember students. You joined this academy to learn how to fight. So you must be prepared for some rough treatment, you joined this academy to get stronger. Thus the combat academy curriculum will be designed to challenge you mentally and physically, as well as improve upon what you already have." The headmistress looked fairly young, her blonde hair done back into a ponytail that ends at the small of her back where a jagged streak of white color crossed it and ran down. A white dress covered her chest and went down to her upper calves, she had some kind of half-tunic hooked over one shoulder. She took a breath and looked around at the mass of first year students. "I hope that you find what you are all looking for by coming here, and have an enjoyable first day." The Headmistress of Haven left the microphone to the principal of Sanctum.

Tia entered her brightly colored classroom. It looked like any other elementary school classroom. But she could feel something different about it, the floor and walls were harder. Everything seemed reinforced somewhat. _I guess this is what happens when you're training over a hundred kids to be warriors with superhuman strength and speed._

Several weeks passed as tests and introductions about all of her classes were made before finally starting to do any actual training. She was enrolled in the mystic course of aura manipulation. It was her first class of the day. Commonly aura gets released through certain levels of stress and exertion, necessity sometimes awakening the hidden power. The course started with the classes pairing up. They would have their hands outstretched. Only their hands could touch during this activity, and they could not move them. They would be balancing precariously with both feet close together. The objective was to use your aura to push against your opponent and make them overbalance. Their arms were fully extended so no muscle would be involved in the pushing. Tia almost immediately sent her opponent stumbling shortly after the activity started, but she found herself overbalancing and forced to take another step as well.

The other students were still struggling as Tia looked surprised at her hands. _So this is what dad meant when I had a lot of aura, I just concentrated on pushing with my hands and it happened. I repelled my opponent._ Tia narrowed her eyes as the teacher approached with a very interested expression. He leaned down and spoke quietly as to not interfere with the other students. "Well well, Miss Matthias. You've got a little bit of excess power behind your aura. That means you'll have to work harder to get the control you need. Power without control can be as damaging to the wielder as it is to the target. That's why it pushed you back as well as your opponent." The boy Tia had been struggling against had been listening intently. He nodded as he appeared to follow the logic of the teacher.

"So someone with less aura means they take less effort to control and manipulate it right?"

"Exactly, Varam, over this course your aura should become stronger, and then more effort should be devoted to keeping it in line and controlling it. Tia seems to be only a little ahead of you in that regard. But only by a few lessons, you'll catch up easily enough." Tia nodded quietly nodded with a small smile. She pulled up a preset message on her Scroll and held it up so the teacher could see. 'Thank you.' Aware of the situation with the scar on the neck of Tia the teacher responded without missing a beat. "It's no problem little miss, it's my job anyway."

During lunch she ate by herself making sure nobody was able to take anything from her. The boy Varam sidled up and sat down across from her, the plastic tray clattering as it hit the table. "Hi, what's your name?"

'Tia Matthias'

"Are you mute?"

'It hurts to speak.'

"That's sad. Does it have something to do with that scar on your neck?"

'Yes.'

"Where did it come from? Can I get a better look?"

'Grimm' Tia leaned a little bit closer to the boy and he could see the pale scar tissue crossing her throat at an angle. He could see that the scar continued down her chest past the neckline of her shirt. "Really? I've seen cuts like that before, my dad's a doctor so I've seen some pretty bad injuries. But that wasn't from any grimm's claws that wound was from a bladed weapon. Are you lying? Or did a grimm attack you with a weapon?" Tia nodded and the boy leaned back scratching his head. "Sounds scary… not to mention impossible, you're hiding something. Why would you make up a story like that?" Tia's eyes widened and began to burn at the denial of what happened.

'It's true! I got attacked by a sword wielding grimm! I got rescued by Yang Xiao Long!'

"Okay, now I know you're lying because Yang didn't even show up anywhere in Mistral. There wasn't any news relating to her appearance over the last couple of months. You're a liar." The boy seemed upset and shook his head like he was disappointed in her. He picked up his tray and started to walk away.

"It's true." She croaked as tears started to flow her throat burned like she had swallowed something sharp. _It's true, it's true._ But her voice was too quiet and Varam didn't notice that she went through great pain to try and convince him that creatures like this exist.

 _Very well then… if they're so blind that they won't see the truth I'll just shut up about it._ She finished her food and her sadness at people not believing her boiled up into frustration. Tia held her metal tray with such force that it groaned in protest as it bent under her strength. _I don't need friends to achieve my objective. The only people I need to believe me are those who team up with me in Haven. Everyone else can go straight to hell for all I care!_ Her semblance made itself known as second aspect of her subconscious. As she sat down by herself waiting for lunch to end she found herself staring into a distorted reflection. The Tia with orange eyes and red scales creeping up the cheeks of her face leaned on the table with one elbow. _Oh? Do you want people to experience the feeling of everything being taken away from them?_

 _N-no, I don't want anyone to be put through that hell of losing everything._

 _Then remember, people only have the right to take what is offered to them, through chance, or through kindness. Right?_

Tia nodded agreement subtly as she became aware that she was having a mental dialogue with herself. Her reflection shrugged and vanished, satisfied with her response. She waited for the sound of the bell for lunch to end. Something switched, she felt strange, like her senses were trying to tell her something. The voices of the lunch room grew very loud almost to a painful degree. Her aura filled her eyes and ears, augmenting them far beyond human or even faunus. _What's going on? Is my semblance doing this?_ The chilling and confident voice of Tia's semblance responded.

 _Me? Why yes, there is something going on that requires your attention. Listen…_

The sound grew to almost deafening for a millisecond before it became almost silent, leaving only one voice and the sound of roguish laughter. "Hey give that back!" A girl's voice was coming from the hallway outside the lunch room. Sounds of a struggle and a whimper of pain as someone hit the ground.

"Wow, you're so weak. And you say you wanna be a huntress? Don't make me laugh runt!" Tia found herself standing out of her seat and started to leave the lunch room towards the sound of conflict. She turned the corner to see a trio of boys who were quite taller than the lone girl they were picking on. Tia and the victim girl were around the same height. She approached silently without preamble, no words wasted on thieves. She broke into a quiet run her breathing almost silent.

 _Our prey is right in front of us, they aren't aware of the danger yet. We must get the first strike. Low scum like this doesn't deserve words, or the opportunity to fight back._

She felt the fire run through her veins as her semblance activated. Her aura was shunted to boost her striking power, replacing the force field used for defense with rapidly spreading hardened scales. Her forest green eyes were consumed in a swirling wildfire. All it took was one strike with an open palm to the side of the boy who had been part of the flank to trap the little girl. The first target was sent flying into his compatriots as Tia's aura shoved outward and amplified the force of the strike. There was a set of grunts of surprise as the impact startled as well as winded the three bullies. Tia paused and looked at the girl, she was uninjured. Despite the fact of the lack of injury she was apparently startled and frightened by the burning eyes and spreading red scales along Tia's face. The girl was in no mood to talk to the monstrous Tia. So Tia ignored her and began pursuing the boys who were still mostly stunned. Tia's enhanced senses could tell that all three had their auras unlocked.

 _Good, then I can beat them down a bit until their auras break, that'll teach them to take things that aren't offered to them in my territory._

She felt slightly confused as she approached the boys and found herself questioning her reflection.

 _Territory? What do you mean by that?_

 _It means what you think it means, if we're to uphold our ideals we need to establish to EVERYONE not to take things that aren't offered to them. We place those who have things taken from them under our protection within our territory._

The trio struggled to their feet they were all head and shoulders taller than Tia. One of them reached out to collar the girl by the neck. She grabbed his hand and flipped him onto his back. She stood facing away from the other two, instantly she launched herself backwards off her slightly bent front leg. Her senses alerted her to a second boy trying to grab hold of her from behind again. Her elbow lashed out, her aura rippled along her arm and slammed into the boy. A spear of force crashed into his sternum. His own aura absorbed some of the impact but it still felt like he got slammed with a stiff punch. Tia turned to the winded boy as her semblance took command of the fight.

Talons grew from her left hand, Tia felt herself slip out of her own body, she watched the actions her body took as it proceeded to dominate the three boys in combat. Now two tried to attack her at once, Tia's body kicked out, almost breaking the leg of one of the boys and bringing him down to her level, she blocked a blow coming from the other boy as she grabbed his cohort and then pulled the same maneuver on the second one. Now that they were both close to her height she banged their heads together painfully.

The one who appeared to be the leader of the boys started to get up groggily. Tia was on him instantly. Her voice ground out a horrible growl like some wild thing. Her talons hooked beneath his shirt and her other fist clenched. "My territory, mine!" Her scaly hand reared back. The eyes of the boy widened as her armored fist collided with his temple. Bluish light flickered as his aura broke. The impact from the strike sent him sailing further down the hallway. The two other boys got up and stumbled to their feet. She could smell something in the air, it made her feel strong. She took several strides in pursuit of them as they quickly pulled away their leader.

Tia put her hand on her body's shoulder and stopped herself. The scales started to recede as she regained her senses. She immediately became aware of a powerful burning sensation in her throat. Tia stuffed down the pain wondering why her semblance forces her to talk. _I've got a pretty good feeling about that smell I had sensed earlier. That might have been fear, that's very interesting. Oh right, the other girl, maybe she'll see I've calmed down._ Tia readied her scroll and began pondering possible messages a conversation would need. She went back to the lunch room and found the girl sitting by herself. Tia only had a few seconds to look at her before attacking the attackers. She noticed hair that had a black and purple swirl with it, like mottling. Cautiously, she approached, not wanting to startle the girl.

Tia quietly sat down across from her. The strange girl was reading a book. Tia caught a glance at the title: The Boy of a Thousand Feats. She had kept on a green fleece cap firmly over her head. Tia held up her scroll and knocked on the table to get her attention. The girl looked up and read the message.

'Hello, I'm Tia.' The girl looked confused and then quickly appeared to adapt to the situation.

"My name's Edina, you were that girl from earlier, right?" Tia made a so-so gesture as she typed her reply.

'Sorry if I scared you, it's my semblance. I change whenever I use it.'

"Some people think that just because someone doesn't have their aura unlocked it means they're weak. Everyone has aura, just not everyone can use it yet." She saw the cover of the book and saw a familiar silhouette on the cover.

'Excuse me, but what's that book about?' Tia asked pointing to the novel.

"This? It's about a kid who travels to strange places and times and uses his unique semblance of over one thousand different effects to solve the problems relating to that area. It's great fun, but sometimes it gets darker because in his subconscious he grows attached to some people, but the magic that renders him immortal won't allow him to stay in a place when his task is completed."

'That picture on the cover, I feel like I've seen it somewhere before.'

"Really? Well I guess they did say it was based off a mix of myth and urban legends. So there's a chance he might be out there somewhere." Tia decided to change the subject to the classes her friend was taking.

"I'm just taking some basic combat training at the moment, I'm a little under strength so I'm also assigned a weight training class. But I'm a great shot, I'm in advanced rifle marksmanship training. What about you?"

'Basic aura manipulation, dust control, and advanced unarmed combat are my special classes.'

"That sounds pretty cool, but I'm curious. Why are you mute?"

'I got a cut on my neck, its healing very slowly.' Edina pondered following the subject further but gave a slight shrug and changed the subject to something less personal.

"So you're planning on becoming a huntress too? What weapon design are you considering?"

'Dust lined body armor, and talons. Apparently my aura is really strong and I can manipulate it pretty well. And my semblance makes me really strong in close quarters so it makes some sense. Maybe I could throw in a few little additions to make it special. I don't know what yet.'

Edina looked up at the clock and then the bell started to ring almost immediately. Indicating that lunch was over. "It was nice meeting you Tia." The girl said with a wave as she started moving back to the next class. Tia let herself smile at her success. _I made a friend, without having to tell them too much and she wasn't scared off by my semblance._

 _The girl known as Edina is now under my aegis._

Tia walked along and headed to dust control class as she held a conversation with her semblance.

 _How does that even work? Your aegis?_

 _A very old technique that I can pull off easily, I mark their aura with a little bit of mine, and I have a vague awareness of what they're doing. If they're in danger or not also a general idea of their location as well so if those three boys start picking on her again I can be there to teach them another lesson._

She entered the arena where dust manipulation classes were held. Dust often creates very destructive effects when activated so they had to be in a more secure area to avoid possible collateral damage. Like the first few times Tia put on the gauntlet, a heavily padded thing with fire resistant cloth. The dust imbued into the fabric glowed as she visualized what she wanted to happen and took aim at a target a short distance away. She opened her hand, concentrating on the target by looking through her middle and ring finger. The dust gathered in a ball a short distance from the palm of her hand. She pushed out against the ball of fire dust. It pegged the target dead center and exploded leaving black charring all across the surface of the target and the back wall. She silently pumped her fist. The recoil was under control she didn't even feel the urge to step back from the force. The teacher of dust manipulation walked forward scratching his head. "Well would ya look at that? Most dust react to aura in the exact same way most of the time, but something's up with you. The other elemental dust seems to be harder for you to guide, but flame dust works fine for some reason. Perhaps something relating to your aura itself, sharing some property with the fire. I've heard of these things happening, but only saw an effect like it a few times in my working here. I guess now you can start designing your weapon with dust in mind. You're power over dust was pretty good, but can you manipulate it in other circumstances? Channeling it using the glove is one thing, what about drawing it from sleeves on a shirt? Dust manipulation works in tandem with aura control, so you need to learn both at once to make sure you can have balance between them."

Tia nodded as she held a flame like a guttering candle on the tip of her index finger. She took off the glove. Her translucent warped reflection appeared next to her. _Is this my semblance's doing?_ The other Tia grinned as her eyes twinkled like merry candle flames.

 _Why yes, I do enjoy the flame, that burning feeling you get whenever I take command, that's not just adrenaline, that's actual heat._

Tia filed that information away for later as the lesson resumed, on how aura worked and interacted with dust, the combinations of dust that were known the Schnee Dust Company run by Whitely Schnee being the largest producer of dust on Remnant. Tia had heard a lot of gossip relating to the big company. A year ago it wiped out a rival company: Zaleska Dust Incorporated. Some deal went south and now the head, Vladamir and his daughter Vira are forced to live in Mantle after losing almost everything.

Over the course of several months Tia got in more fights, mercilessly beating people who stole possessions from her. The group of guidance counselors began to feel like this was becoming an issue, this one girl claiming the halls as her territory like some apex predator. According to the reports she barely acknowledges the existence of her uncle and his girlfriend. Calling them would get nowhere with Tia. So they came across someone who was nearby. Someone who had met Tia before. Tia was called to the guidance office and saw the familiar blonde bombshell of Yang. Her aura reacting almost on its own she sprinted across the room and leaped to hug around the neck of the sun dragon. Tia wrapped her legs around her stomach and hung onto Yang like a koala, burying her face into the side of Yang's neck. The huntress staggered backwards a step from the impact but greeted Tia cordially.

"Hey there Tia, you been getting in trouble behind my back?" The huntress said stroking the auburn hair of the child. Tia pulled out her scroll to start typing, unknowing that she had released her grip on Yang. She fell a short distance to the floor almost making her lose her grip on the scroll. She still typed out the message and held it up.

'What are you doing here?'

"I heard you've been causing trouble, this group of old people called me to get you to stop whatever you're doing, something about territory?"

'That's what this is about? Basically I want fighting to stay in the sparring and practice rooms, any bullying in the halls will be targeted by me. I am the bane of bullies, if they want to get into fights, they'll either not fight at all, or fight me. If someone takes something from me, I take it back and give the thief something in return.' One of Yang's eyebrows raised halfway through the statement, the other joined it shortly after.

"Oh… I see why these guys are so nervous after seeing your grades. You're a little powerhouse, reminds me of myself a little bit. But listen, if you keep doing this you're going to end up with no friends. Those who call themselves your friends would only do so to get you to protect them. You're intimidating everyone, don't tell me you haven't noticed any fearful glances, people averting their eyes around you, and other things?"

'Well… I haven't really been paying attention, I just want to get everyone to work towards their goals while I pursue mine. Without anyone blocking the way.'

"Yeah, but the most important development of a fighter's abilities are grown through struggle and adversity. If they rely on the great Tia Matthias to come in and save them they don't need to struggle through social qualms relating to bullies, and they mature slower. If any confront you directly that's fine, but you're interfering with the process of the education system of a combat school. The kids need to learn to stand up for themselves." Tia's eyes burned and flames began flickering around the edges of her irises. She growled and shot to her feet.

"They let this happen?!" Tia ground out, taking a firm stride towards the group of guidance counselors. Yang managed to hold her back.

"Tia, I know why you're so desperate to protect people." Yang whispered into her ear. The flames faded and Tia relaxed as her eyes began to sting from unshed tears. "You want to stop the pain. If not yours, someone else's. But if you keep doing this you're taking something from them without permission. You're taking a learning experience away."

 _Taking… away?_

Tia sobbed quietly and picked up her scroll and solemnly typed a response and held it up to the guidance counselors.

'I'm sorry, I am just a thief. I will focus on myself from now on.' She approached Yang and gave her a hug. Yang gave Tia a maternal peck on the forehead. The little dragon left the room and did some critical thinking on what she should do next. _I don't care what my semblance says, I will fight to protect what I already have, instead of taking everyone and putting them under my aegis._ She currently had three people reliably under her aegis. _I guess I shouldn't put any more people under my aegis. I won't go actively looking for people to save either. Let's save that for when I'm actually a huntress._

A few days after this resolution Tia met with her three friends at lunch. During a conversation Tia decided to ask a question on a whim. She knocked on the table to get everyone's attention.

'Are you guys intimidated by me?' Vianne, another girl in the group chuckled a little and spoke up.

"Well, heheh. Yeah of course I am a little bit. You mopped the floor with two kids who could take me apart like they were nothing but training dummies. I certainly don't want to be on your bad side." A boy named Charles Kingston lightly tugged on the neck of his shirt nervously.

"I always thought you were an interesting individual, kind of made me wonder why someone would go out of their way to only help others. I became your friend because I want to find out why. Was it truly a random act of kindness? Or some other motive?"

Tia took the information under note as held out her announcement to the small group of friends.

'I would like you to know about how I help you all through these past few weeks, how I know to be there, when you're in danger.' Charles nodded.

"I was curious about that were you monitoring us or something?"

'It's a secondary ability of my semblance, I can put someone under aegis. I have a general awareness of where they are, and has a strong feeling of when they're in danger. I mark someone with my aura and then I can track them. I'm sorry for any violation in privacy, I can revoke my aegis at any time. So those who want my aegis removed won't receive any qualms from me, I marked you like possessions. You are people, not things for me to protect.' They all agreed that they wanted the aegis removed.

Edina looked at the slightly confused Tia. "Don't get me wrong, it's sweet that you want to look out for us, but I want to have some freedom. I want to be your friend because of my own choice, not because you won't leave me alone, get it?" Tia nodded as she understood the meaning behind the group's actions.

For the rest of her career at Sanctum Academy she only marked a handful of objects, but not people with her aegis. Yang's scarf around her neck, her journal, her newly forged weapon. A close-fitting high density fabric woven with intricate swirls of orange flame dust along the arms and legs. At the end of the sleeves were lightly padded gauntlets attached to them so Tia could slip her hands inside and use the weapon part at the drop of a hat. She managed to work the special surprise into it. There were small hooks and loops with wound up cable attached to sheets of cloth also woven with flame dust. She pulled the hooks on her arms and attached the hooks to the small loops around her hips and it became a wing suit. She could channel aura into the flame dust and use the heat to make an updraft. The draconic fighter gave this weapon system a name to match its abilities. After a queen of monsters in myth, a ruler of an ancient race of dragons, she dubbed the system Tiamat.


	6. Part 2 Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Seeking Answers

Shin's foster family the Maverels provided shelter and food for him. He kept to himself among the big family, they took in other abandoned kids. There were a total of eight young kids around Shin's own age. He had set up his gear for his first day at Sanctum academy several days in advance. It was a long walk from his home to the training academy. He had accidentally discovered his semblance when he teleported himself back to his room from the dinner table.

After several days of experimenting he realized he could either teleport himself to a location he had been before. Or he could teleport an object he had touched before, to him. He practiced moving a solid piece of wood like his staff around and then teleporting it to him after a brief delay. He had signed up for advanced staves and spear training, as well as basic aura manipulation. He only needed the basics, he knew what weapons he needed and what would complement his skills and strengths to his best. He could teleport a weapon to him, so he could throw his weapons to his heart's content as long as he had aura to spare. He was going to fashion a finely balanced throwing spear, able to be wielded in two hands to fuel his skill with a staff. _But will I need anything else? A rifle? No, I'll just need a group of these spears. They'll be collapsible so I can carry them easier._ His thoughts were interrupted by someone running into him. He almost hit his head on the walk up to Sanctum but managed to catch himself. The person who ran into him offered a hand. Shin allowed himself to be helped up. He made eye contact with the boy who was about his height, maybe an inch taller. Pale translucent hair and a pair of merry gold eyes met his. "Sorry friend, wouldn't want to ruin your first day with a concussion, would we Shin?" Shin almost brushed off this stranger. _Wait a minute, what the hell?_

"How do you know my name?"

"You'll come to find I'm very knowledgeable in due time. But for now I've got somewhere else I need to be I've got to greet the other members of my team before this opportunity passes." A ball of black energy appeared in the stranger's hand and he hurled it a great distance as Shin began spluttering.

"Wait, what… who... team? What team? I don't even know you!" The corner of the boy's mouth tilted up in a smile.

"You'll see." He said before vanishing.

He glared suspiciously at the spot the boy had been standing a second ago before moving away towards Sanctum. That interaction reminded him of something he would be forced to do. Interact with people on a regular basis. _I'm going to have to tolerate all the stupid people if I want to proceed to my goal on schedule._

Admittedly he had never been surrounded by so many people at once in recent memory, so he was feeling a little claustrophobic. After the assembly with the headmistress of Haven welcoming the new students. The first lunch hour was considered an average success on his part. He managed to sit fairly close to a large group of people. Some of the students addressed him. Asking his name and whatever, he didn't care, he simply acted like he was paying attention and responded cordially in kind. But since he didn't start any conversation they grew to ignore him like he was working to ignore them. Quickly going over what he would be studying as well as his special combat courses. Weight training, track and field, as well as math and other basic learning classes of course.

A few days after the orientation and the introductions to all of his classes he was set to a sparring match against one of the students. Training equipment was handed out, both students had their aura unlocked so it would be difficult for them to injure each other. It was a tournament style so when the aura drops to red level the match ends. Shin carefully considered the fight and analyzed his opponent. _I need to take it slow, I don't want to reveal all my cards yet, there could even be half-grimm among the students here, they shouldn't know that I'm coming after them, but when they do I don't want to give them a chance to find any weakness._

The match began, Shin had his staff ready as his opponent charged him swinging a wooden club. His aura surrounded the training weapon to boost its durability so it wouldn't break under heavy punishment. Shin stepped to the side as the club came down. He spun the staff across his shoulders and it slammed into the head of his opponent. The club came swinging in from the ground in a sideways strike. Caught slightly off guard Shin barely managed to block it. The impact sending him skidding backwards, he overbalanced and rolled along the ground. He braced himself to his feet with his staff. _There, that was pretty convincing, now he'll think he has the advantage because he had one strike overpower me. He might have brute strength, but I have experience._ Stealing a glance at the aura gauges on the big screen revealed that he had taken slightly more damage than his opponent. He blocked an overhead strike with his staff, he let it go and the weapon was forced to the ground. He lunged and delivered a back flipping kick to the head of his opponent. Sending him staggering back. He landed on the ground within arm's reach of his weapon that had been forced to the ground earlier he scooped it up and choked back on the grip basically wielding it like a sword. He had practiced this strike for hours exactly for a moment like this. His aura surrounded his weapon again.

 _Crrrack!_

Shin's opponent was sent flying three feet before landing heavily. His aura reduced to half of what it was before, dropping into yellow. He was already moving while his opponent was still flying. He leaped up and slammed the end of his staff into his opponent's stomach, or he would've if his opponent hadn't managed to scramble clear. Shin ducked as the club came at his head. As he moved he spun the staff so it was parallel to the ground it came in and swept the legs from beneath his opponent. As soon as his opponent hit the ground the length of the staff slammed against his chest, sending his aura down to the red. Shin made a show of the combat being extremely exhausting chest heaving and clenching his shoulder like he had done a strike wrong as he slowly walked over to his corner. "Well done Shin, seems like you've been practicing outside of class haven't you?" The teacher could be heard over a set of speakers around the practice field. The actor put on another show of him speaking between heavy breaths.

"Yeah… it's surprising what a little adrenaline can do for a guy." He looked at the stands for any suspicious movement, he cast his thoughts out to get his impression across. _That's right you monsters, I'm only slightly above average, I get exhausted from less than five minutes of intense fighting. I'm no threat to you._ The pair of fighters were called back up to the stands, he went up to the teacher and asked if he could get a drink. She nodded as two more students moved up to spar with each other. Shin left the hallway, before he turned towards the drinking fountain he saw a flash of white hair go around a corner a short distance away. On instinct he took off after the figure, reaching the corner he saw the figure gone, and no indication of the direction he took. _Damn, what is that guy? Could he be another half-grimm? Did one of them find out about Betram? Oh dust, I'd best be careful then. Maybe they'll ignore me if I just blend in with the crowd of students here. I'm not ready to fight them yet._ Then Shin sighed and shrugged as he turned around and headed back to the drinking fountain. _If they find me, I'll either run until I can't, then I'll fight. Or if they don't find me I'm good. I don't have the proper power to manipulate those possible events, so why worry?_

He took a few mouthfuls of water before heading back into the sparring area. A boy named Qester Orwx was sparring with a girl who wielded two short scimitars. Apparently the boy's name was pronounced Kester Orics. Shin wondered at the odd spelling but shrugged dismissing it. _We've got people whose first names are literally a color, a few weird spellings aren't anything new._ He saw the stout child with a big rectangular shield like a tower shield and a big mace-like club. He marched slowly forward against an opponent who was about the same height as him. The twin weapons the opponent used deflected off the big shield that obstructed over ninety percent of Qester.

The mace came around and belted the dual wielder easily, knocking her aura down to yellow. Shin was impressed by the individual. _He's like a walking castle, he's slow, but his reaction to an opponent's guard drop is impeccable. His turning radius with that ridiculous shield is pretty good too._ The battle was over steadily as the dual wielding girl was pressed slowly around the arena by the massive shield and swinging mace. It was the last sparring match of the class and everyone left to go to their next classes.

 _I need to see if I can figure out the identities of these half-grimm. They must've been human at one point. So there must be an indication of huntsmen and huntresses going missing._ He had quickly ripped through his lunch meal and went to the library and got on a computer. He searched for a list of MIA huntsmen and huntresses. He narrowed his eyes in frustration as the list was over one thousand hits, all arranged alphabetically he started scrolling down to see if there was any names he recognized. _Damn… of course, there are so many huntsmen and huntresses active, ridiculous numbers go missing with no indication of what happened._

Then he saw a report for a missing in action low class huntman, Betram Branwen. He clicked on the link relating to the case. At the site of a small building the known huntsman was last seen at there was small traces of blood but there was no body. The building was completely destroyed but Betram Branwen was seen nowhere on the premises. There were rumors among the populace that a strange woman had been carrying him off. His eyes focused on the words 'Strange Woman'. He realized what happened with a flash of terror and excitement. _They wouldn't take a dead body with them… the bro's alive! Betram's alive! But he's in trouble, he's going to be prisoner of those things. I don't know anything about these creatures, how they're made, probably something having to do with Salem. But she's in hiding right?_

'Reminds me of my father's stories of creatures Salem made.' The voice of his friend echoed back to him. _No, she's certainly doing stuff now, other than her previous plan relating to the four maidens and Cinder she might be trying something a little more direct. Use these half-grimm as soldiers to wage a war of sabotage and savagery._

He looked over news from a little while before he had signed up for Sanctum. A town a few hundred miles outside of Mistral was overrun when the perimeter security had been disabled, it was assumed an electrical malfunction. The gates sealed themselves, the resulting confusion and worry was believed to have drawn enough grimm to wipe out the town.

 _Yeah right… and maybe birds fly through the ground! The situation was way too lined up, someone sabotaged the defense systems of the town, and ordered those gates to seal themselves to prevent people from escaping. The grimm were waiting for a signal. These half-grimm are working to wipe out settlements. I think it might need more than one of them, so my guess has a greater chance of being right then?_ _Wait a second, there were survivors from Verin! Who? They might have a sure answer. Damn it! Their names were concealed for their own safety. Grrrr… it was two parents a young traveler and one child. The child, she might've come here! Someone here holds the answer to my question._

He signed off and closed the computer. _There's not even a picture for me to use._ He started to walk away frustrated as he tried to sort through what options he had access to. He had to save the bro, but he knew almost nothing about his opponents or where they came from. Then there was that boy. _That kid with the white hair. He might know something, but how do I find him? He might be the young traveler the article refers to. He has to know something about those monsters, maybe even more if he knows my name somehow._ He got an idea, a trick he had used to get information on targets he was going to be confronting when he was an urchin. Accept with access to a scroll it would make the process far less painstaking. He turned back to the computer, typed up a ramshackle poster for information relating to the events of Verin, and a number for Shin's scroll. He printed out several copies and began moving about and posting them on unclaimed bulletin boards.

He sat down with his scroll like a cowboy going to draw a gun for a showdown. He moved through the rest of the classes fairly distracted. Shin was only going through the motions of taking down notes as he waited to pounce on the first ring of his scroll. _There should only be around two people in this entire place that know something about Verin. I only need a pinch of luck for them to see the notes. I have done what I can for the moment. I need to have some patience, that's what a hunter does. Set a trap, then watch and wait for the prey to arrive._

The call arrived a week later. He pounced on his scroll and answered it, instinctively working to make his voice sound deeper and somewhat more professional. "Hello? Do you have some information about the incident relating to the town of Verin?" The person on the other end sounded like a woman.

"Who is this?" Shin immediately was on guard. _They didn't confirm or deny my question. could they be a teacher trying to figure out who put up those notes? Alright, I can work this, play it cool._

"An interested party, there are a handful of individuals at this academy that hold valuable information relating to this incident that are unconfirmed at the moment. Do you have any information relating to the situation?" Shin's suspicions were confirmed as the woman didn't say whether she had information or not.

"Why are you canvassing the students for information? It's in the news, you could just look it up there."

"Because I need eyewitnesses, the article mentioned that two young individuals had made it out of Verin, they need to tell someone what actually happened, not what appeared to happen from the outside. I would be ready to believe them if they told me. If you don't have information relating to this topic then I sense our conversation coming to a close." Shin's 'professional' voice was starting to sound slightly bored. "Goodbye Ma'am."

The woman on the other end of the line was hesitant like she was about to say something more, and then a sigh was heard in a rumble of static over the speaker. "I don't have any information, sorry to bother you." Shin smirked as he heard the line close. _I think I fooled that damn teacher, I'm not letting anyone stand in the way of my plan to learn more about these half-grimm._ He didn't know who was actually on the other end of that call.

Elsewhere, a child-like figure with black-and-white heterochromatic eyes hung up a phone with a displeasured 'hmph' she had hoped to figure out the identity of the person who had posted those notes so she could find a loose end to tie up. Someone was being quite paranoid. Since she couldn't do anything to end this passing opportunity she had to keep up with the timetable the group had set.

The cunning boy went into the forest and started walking with his fighting technique and turning it into a combo with his semblance. He fashioned a makeshift spear, he marked it with his vanishing teleportation glyph upon thinking the phrase. _I'll need this item again._ He hurled it and warped it back to his hand mid-flight, and he felt the slight drain on his aura from his semblance triggering. He walked around with the second part of his semblance. _I'll need to return to this spot._ A brief flash came from the bottom of his shoe as a tiny glyph appeared on the ground and became invisible after a second. He broke into a run, he could feel the presence of the teleportation glyph like an invisible tether to a spot on the ground. He used his aura to anchor his feet, he slid on his side, leaped up and spun into a combination of stabs with the blade and strikes with the haft of his weapon, in the very middle of his chain of attacks he teleported back to the mark and finished his chain of attacks. _Her weapons were like yo-yos so I need to be able to move fast enough to avoid them when she lashes out, and also hit her before she can call them back. Since there's likely more than one I'll just stick with training to fight anything that would dare to raise a claw or blade against me. With this extra training on the side I should be ready for most circumstances._

Several weeks later he found himself sitting alone at lunch a short distance away from the group of girls who all sat next to each other. A heavyset boy sat down across from him, he looked up from his food and saw the teal cap of hair on the head of Qester and his eyes of slate grey. "Yo." The castle fighter rumbled with an uncannily deep voice for someone his age. Shin actually jumped at the sudden speech of the boy.

"Um… hi? What's up big guy?"

"Tired of sittin' by meself." He audibly muttered with a monotonous voice that easily carried his gruff, bass tone.

"Alright then, unless you have something to say I'll just keep on studying." There was a long pause with the pair surrounded by the sound of dozens of conversations going along around them and the loud chattering of the group of girls. Qester was the first to speak up.

"I saw your fight, I'm pretty sure you're actually incredible if you weren't holding back." Shin's eyes widened as he froze. _This guy… how did he know I was holding back?_ He tagged the floor under his chair with his semblance as he looked up. "What are you talking about?" Qester gave a barely noticeable grin as he replied.

"A little bit of training goes a long way, a huntsman visited my home once in Mantle. A grey knight-looking guy, forgot his name, it ended with an Arc though."

"Wait, like Jaune Arc?" Qester shrugged and sighed.

"Maybe, he told me a few tricks to tell when someone is holding back or toying with you." Shin felt his heart slowdown from the racing. The adrenaline began to wear off, and his investigative instinct began to flow. _If this guy's a half-grimm he's doing a pretty good job of hiding it so far. He knows I was holding back, but he doesn't know what I was hiding_.

"Indeed, I'm guessing you were holding back too when you were fighting that girl?" The castle fighter nodded.

"I move at the speed of the fight, the fight was slow so I moved slowly. I mainly just exploited whenever that girl left herself open to attack. My defense was strong enough to withstand anything she could throw. I paced myself to outlast the stamina of my opponent. I expend only minimal effort to dismantle a threat. But I could tell you were hesitating, you're actively hiding your strength for some reason. You're hiding your strength, and acting like you're struggling. Question is, why?" Shin suddenly felt very threatened by this boy aura activated as his muscles tensed.

"It's unimportant, now drop the subject dude. You're coming pretty close to pissing me off. I know I'm only average I've worked my ass off to get strong enough to barely pass my classes now shut up and leave me alone!" Shin shouted as he rose to his feet and started to walk away. _If he's a half-grimm I'm in trouble. Actually, I feel like that snap wasn't out of place. My skill was just insulted, assumed I'm holding back when I was actually working my hardest. Yeah that would be pretty bad if it were true. I doubt he's going to try and be friendly again after a crack like that. Damn shame, he would've been a good ally._

He put his hands in the pockets of his jeans and started wandering about maintaining his frustrated act until the bell rang for lunch to end. He heard audible footfalls and a gruff voice. "Hey!" Shin recognized the sound, he grinned slightly as the large boy got his attention as he quickly tried to catch up to Shin. _Well, if he insists… a friend won't hurt me too bad. It's a shame I'm going to have to lie to him on a daily basis. But it'll keep my act going pretty well, if I'm an outcast I'd be easy to pick off because of isolation. Also if I am marked by the beasts before I'm prepared I need a big tough guy to back me up and he is the definition of backup._ "Hey, Shin!" The boy turned and looked up slightly at Qester sternly.

"What?"

"Sorry about what I said earlier, I didn't want to bring your skill into question, or say anything about your goal being wrong okay? I've got this nasty habit of thinking aloud right in the middle of conversation. Are we going to be cool?" Shin stopped and turned to fully face Qester.

"So you want to make it up to me?" The large boy nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, I didn't want to insult you, I won't question your ability again, holding back or not I don't care, you're a cool guy. I want to make it up to you."

"Then be my friend, hang out with me at lunch, we can greet each other in the hall, and talk about other topics."

"Sounds good, I wanted to become friends anyway. I guess I'll be seeing you around then." He walked past Shin and turned around as he broke into a slow jog he called back to his new friend. "We'll have to fight without holding back some time."

"That would be nice." Shin replied as he waved farewell to Qester.

After that day the years at Sanctum passed uneventfully like most school curriculums, the days blurring together into a string of passivity. Shin tried to avoid bringing up the half-grimm to anyone. But he felt frustrated that by graduation nobody had contacted him relating to the Verin incident. He came up with a name relating to his semblance: Trickster's Mark. He felt satisfied at the name and settled on it. He fashioned a set of three spears. Two of them were identical solid metal poles with narrow blades designed to pierce. The third spear was a heavy throwing javelin with a thick heavy blade and pole. It sends his targets flying from the impact of his throwing weapon at full strength. In a controlled environment he used the two small poles to pin and immobilize his opponent, through their clothing or other means, before pegging them with a direct strike from his heavy weapon. A word came to his mind for his weapons: Mardkhora, It was a name for a legendary grimm who launched spines from its tail to hunt humans. It was intelligent and cunning until humanity managed to hunt it down. No other Mardkhora appeared after the first one was killed. He thought it was fitting and matched himself somewhat.

He decided to search for the boy with the white hair in the school's database. To his surprise that boy wasn't even part of the system. _There's still questions that need answering and I need information if I'm going to rescue my bro. I can't afford to go in blind, not even knowing where they come from or where Salem is right now. First off, who the hell is this guy? He knows stuff about me after seeing me only once, some kind of spy or something? He's disappeared, but what did he mean by team?_


	7. Part 2 Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Unwilling hero

 _I feel like I made a mistake._ Yeira thought as the other girl in the arena approached her with a weapon at the ready. She hadn't expected it to be this intense. At first glance Sanctum looked like a lot like a normal school. When she got inside though she saw massive feats of strength, all from boys and girls who had their aura unlocked by someone else, she had no aura to speak of at the moment. So she was in the most basic classes, she didn't even know what weapon she would be using. _I didn't have a plan. This is going to be a lot harder than I had expected._ Her opponent was using a padded circular weapon like a club and Yeira had a similar weapon. They were learning basic strike areas. A hit on the arm disables the arm, a blow on the leg disables the leg, and of course a strike on the torso kills. Her reflexes were enough to keep up with her opponent, but her stance was lack luster and her endurance was suffering.

 _Arm, Leg, Dead._

She barely managed to squeak by with a two-out-of-three rounds won. Yeira took a second to recover her strength. She found that when she was in the flow of a fight that her heart took a very painful racing pace. "Hey you okay?" Her sparring partner asked with a note of concern in her voice. Yeira's hand was over her heart as she took deep breaths.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just give me a minute or two… phew, alright let's go." She concentrated, the adrenaline flowed and her blood pounded around inside her body as she planned and executed a strong maneuver, a crescent-shaped step forward, she brought her weapon around. Tagging her opponent's off hand as it moved to block her torso. She brought the weapon back and snapped it forward again as Yeira's opponent put the damaged arm behind her back. A blow to the torso, kill. She could feel her heart start to hammer, but she had another burst in her. "Let's go again." She lost her sword arm, quickly switching over to her off hand as her opponent moved to finish, she landed a solid stab to the torso as she swayed to avoid her opponent. A muffled sound of _oof_ came from her opponent who was winded by the impact of the weapon. A combat teacher from Haven had been visiting on his day off, his name was Professor Erios. A big muscular individual his eyes were deep amber and had a head of short cut reddish brown hair. He was an intimidating visage with a savage scar that went from his temple to his jaw. He was the leader of the field combat training in Haven Academy, every so often he barked harsh criticism at the students in training.

"Come on now maggots, just because your aura isn't unlocked doesn't mean you get to slack off and wait for someone to do it for ya! You need to be ready, the stronger you are before aura unlock you'll be that much stronger after." Yeira recovered her breath and noticed her sparring partner backing away. The voice of the Professor sounded really close to her. She turned and was startled by the proximity of the tall warrior. "Gods… if you have to stop and gasp like a smoker after every fight you're gonna get yourself killed in a real battle. Toughen up more before doing some _real_ training." His voice took on a slight condescending note at the last part of the statement. She felt tears burn in her eyes as she became downcast.

"Y-you want to fight me?" She said before she could stop herself. Erios looked confused and leaned on closer.

"What did you just say?" Her grip tightened on her training weapon as her voice rose to a shout, her face red from sudden anger. _I don't have a plan but I have a motive, and it'll be a long time before I let anyone say I can't achieve my goal!_

"F-fight me!" A look of surprise came from the combat teacher. The shout was loud enough to get the rest of the class' attention. The corner of his mouth twitched upwards like he was doing a bad job at suppressing a grin. The fatigue of the sparring from earlier began to leak away like someone pulled a drain on the pain. The warrior opened his mouth like he was about to speak.

"Pff… ahahaha! Ah, alright kid, I guess I touched a nerve, but I'm not apologizing for what I said. You really do need to toughen up. Getting beaten to a pulp by someone far stronger than you is one way to go about it, I suppose." He chuckled irrepressibly as he got a training weapon. It blurred as he swung it a few times casually, whipping the air as he grew accustomed to it. "I remember now, the rules are only a firm touch is needed for a limb to count as 'dead' speed is more important than strength in this fight." They took up fighting positions slightly more than a pace from each other. They tapped the ends of their practice swords together to signify the battle starting. The huntsman darted in to catch the girl in the side with his weapon on the right side. Yeira could feel her heart pound in her ears as she turned to block the strike. The impact sent the length of her own weapon swinging back and striking her in the face. She swept low to try and tag one of Erios' legs, he pulled it back expertly and the weapon came around once more. She swayed back as the end of the stick barely avoided clipping her chin. She stepped around the awkwardly positioned trainer and tried to hit him in the back. The weapon of Erios swung in a reverse strike to protect his back. She could feel the excess force radiate from the blade of the practice weapon, his aura. The force grabbed onto her weapon like with an invisible hand and heaved it from her grip.

The pads on her fingers burned as the grip of the weapon was harshly yanked from her hand. _This is more than the fight with the other students, this is an actual battle. I'll have to do my best, and push my limits if I want to win._ Yeira dodged back to avoid any glancing blows by the practice sword taking any of her limbs. She rolled, bruising her knees as she moved past and grabbed hold of her sword again. She saw the expression on the face of Erios, he wasn't smiling, he seemed frustrated, and slightly angry. _Oh, no._ The blow impacted her guard and slammed Yeira's blade against her face again, as well as send her staggering backwards, he took up pursuit. She had a flash of clarity a moment before his next strike. _He's leaning further into this one, I can handblock, and stab!_ Her right hand came up to intercept the blow, tears of pain burned in her eyes as the aura hardened sword slammed into her hand. The sword in her left hand thrust forward with her body weight behind it, the stab landed striking her opponent on the chest. The teacher looked stunned as he looked back up at the girl. He straightened up and stared down at the girl who had beaten him.

"You think you're strong you little brat?" His voice was full of quiet malice. His aura began pouring off him like orange flames. He turned his back to her and soft booms were heard beneath his footfalls as he spoke. "I'll fight you when you reach Haven, and I won't be holding back then little girl." After he left the room Yeira's practice weapon hit the ground as her stinging left hand relaxed. She looked at her right hand and was startled that she still couldn't feel it. In fact the rest of her body started to feel strange, her legs shook, her vision tilted strangely. She stumbled up to the teacher of the sparring class and said she didn't feel good. The teacher noticed that Yeira seemed unsteady.

"Alright, I'll help you down to the nurse's office. Everyone carry on with your sparring." She leaned against the teacher as she felt numbness spread through her body, and tingling like blood coming back to a limb that had fallen asleep, except the sensation was over her entire body.

"What's happening… to me?" She wondered aloud. Yeira felt the tears of pain from the fight slowly start to run down her face. "Mrs. Walden…" She said her voice becoming slurred, her vision getting black spots. The teacher Mrs. Walden supported more of the girl's weight.

"You'll be fine Yeira, we'll get to the nurse's office and check to see what's made you so off kilter. Although I have a pretty good idea, let's see if it's anything else." The young huntress in training almost lost consciousness before reaching the health office. Mrs. Walden actually had to carry her in and lay her down on one of the padded benches. "Nurse, we've got a bit of a problem here!" She was a short woman with a kind elder face. She felt Yeira's head, and nodding with confirmation she quickly left and brought in a large machine. A machine produced by Atlus to detect aura levels in a person. She looked at the screen and the line indicating the level of passive aura; it was all over the place.

"Did she get into a fight with someone who used aura or attacked by a semblance? Because the symptoms and the aura levels match that of a forced aura unlock."

"She picked a training fight with a visiting professor from Haven." The aged nurse looked doubtfully at Mrs. Walden.

"Seriously? Who would be provoked by a little-oohh. She fought Erios didn't she?" The teacher avoided eye contact with the nurse, confirming her suspicions.

"The aura unlock is a very sacred ritual, it can happen naturally, or have some use their aura to unlock someone else's. A savage and brutal way to do this is someone striking a soul-bearing being with your aura. The aura commonly used in unlocking is a passive, gentle aura, similar to the aura used for restoration and mending wounds." The nurse gestured to the now unconscious girl who was panting and sweating.

"She got her aura unlocked by an aggressive aura based attack, and now that wave of hostile aura is playing havoc with the rest of her body. It's given her a little bit of aura, and her body is overloaded attempting to produce even more aura to counteract the hostile force. The strain is taking a big toll. It's unlikely she'll die from this, but she'll be sick for around twelve hours by my estimate. I suggest send her home and keep her watched, I'll contact her parents and alert them of the situation. You can head back to your class now. I've got this covered until her parents get here to pick her up."

A voice of a kind woman echoed through the feverish mind of Yeira. _That sounds lovely._ The image of the face face belonging on the Pumpkin Pete's box, the mighty Pyrrha Nikos, killed by Cinder Fall in the early stages of Salem's first war on the world. She crossed through her mind on a tide of black smoke. Her emerald eyes transforming into the featureless red orbs of a creature of grimm. _I have to stop her… she's going to kill us all._ She found herself in front of a door, a regular-looking door her hand trembled as she reached for it with a massive sense of foreboding. She managed to take hold of the handle, carefully turn it and the door swung open with agonizing slowness. She saw the emerald eyes and brilliant red hair of someone she had believed to be dead. Pyrrha greeted her with the same kindly smile. "Welcome home child, your parents were wondering where you've been." Yeira felt herself being drawn forward into the door. She felt wetness on her feet and looked down. The floor was covered in blood. The room spun and she found herself in a hallway, the blood was coming from beneath a door. Everything tilted as she approached the door, left, then right, following her stride. The door swung open dark red light filled the hallway. A pair of corpses with blood covering the floor, the slackened faces and eyes wide open in terror revealed them to be her parents.

She felt a hand on the small of her back and she started gliding forward, she looked up and saw the kind expression of Pyrrha, with that same exact smile. "Go in and greet your parents." The hand disappeared and she drifted forward, closer and closer to the room with the dead bodies of her mom and dad. It was too real, the coppery smell of blood stung her nostrils. She turned around to find a monstrous figure obscured by shadow hurl a spear at her, it crossed the distance in an instant and struck.

Yeira gasped as her eyes opened, she started taking deep breaths as her heart was in a state of pained racing. _It was a dream, slow down heart._ She felt a strange tingling sensation and the pain of her racing heart disappeared almost instantly. _Huh? What's going on? I just had the fight of my life, but I actually feel incredible! I don't understand._ She looked around curiously. She was in her room in the new house. She sat up in bed and carefully stepped onto the floor. _I felt terrible after the fight with Erios, but now I feel better than ever. Did something happen to me?_ Yeira left her room and wandered through to the living room. Neira looked up as she heard footsteps coming from behind her.

"Well then, are you feeling better?" The girl looked down at her hands and then looked back up.

"Yeah, I feel stronger, better than I've ever been, actually. I'm not sure what happened to me. Maybe it's for the best though." Yeira's mother looked relived but then her face took on a crease of concern.

"The nurse said you picked a fight with a visiting teacher from Haven." Yeira flinched internally.

"It was only a training bout mom, but he was getting really serious about it for some reason. I actually managed to beat him, and Professor Erios got really angry as he left."

"The nurse said he hit you with his aura. Causing a violent reaction, and forcing your body to unlock its own aura. It was a rough process, you had me worried for a while dear." She felt the power flow through her and a grin crept across her face.

"Well there's no need to worry now. I feel incredible." The academy had been let out, she lived near the combat school so boarding wasn't needed. The small house was far from being a slum with a decent backyard. She took a martial arts fighting stance slowly moving with all her muscles completely tense. Her mind focused as she tried to explore her thoughts and mind for evidence of a semblance. _Every huntsman and huntress has a semblance. All I need to do is look for the trigger, unless the semblance is something passive, like Qrow Branwen's misfortune effect._ She cringed at the thought of bringing bad luck to everyone around her, friend and foe alike. _I hope it's not like that. But something I can use. A power that works like a tool or weapon, where is it, what is it? A semblance manifests from a part of the individual that uses it. At least that's what the book says. Maybe I should wait a while and discover how much aura I actually have at my disposal._ She shrugged as she headed back inside. _As long as I keep working I should be strong enough. I have to protect my family from her. Hmmm… no I don't think so, from them, those monsters, the grimm too._

The next few weeks passed uneventfully, apparently some girl was going around Sanctum demolishing bullies and other groups of kids who picked on others. She almost got caught up in one of the skirmishes and wondered to herself, she ducked into cover as the aura of the small dragon swirled in a vortex as she pursued her most recent prey. _Why didn't Erios visit this girl's class? She certainly would've put him in his place._ She heard an appreciative whistle come from beside her, she turned and saw a white-haired boy that hadn't been standing there before, he was looking after the trail and the warpath the dragon girl was leaving. He chuckled slightly at the power left in her wake before speaking.

"She's incredible isn't she? So young and already a terror to witness, I would be glad to have her on my team." He turned and cast an intense prying look at Yeira, she shifted awkwardly at being analyzed by a stranger, he winked and the smile returned. "But you've got something special about you too don't you? I wouldn't mind having you on my team as well Miss Wenday." She jumped at the mention of her name.

"What? Wait, I haven't seen you in any of my classes, how do you know my name?" He shrugged and started to walk away with his hands in his pockets.

"It's not important right now I just wanted to see you in person before everything hits the fan." His head suddenly tilted like he was listening to some invisible voice before taking off at a run. Yeira tried to follow him but his pace left her in the dust. A shockwave came off his back foot almost knocking her down. _Whoa,_ _that power! How many monstrous students are here anyway? And why do I keep running into them today?_

After class she was assigned to run a few errands. The store was only a fifteen minute walk away from the house, so her father gave her some money and a short list of necessities she was on the move with the bag she had tasked to use when she heard police sirens passing nearby. She moved to investigate the situation she saw a bunch of armed police struggling with a large man, he was holding them off very well Yeira's eyes widened as a concealed weapon unfolded a pair of daggers with glowing dust cartridges in them. He broke loose and shouted for their attention. "Hey! Everybody just calm the fuck down! I'm on sensitive huntsman business, can't leave a guy in peace?" The skirmish immediately started to disperse as there wasn't a proper reason to arrest him anymore. She felt like this was familiar with some strange huntsman moving through a place on sensitive business. She folded up the bag so she could move without it encumbering her. She shadowed the huntsman as he left the cluster of officers, the huntsman followed the road towards Haven near the center of the city. She moved along with him. _I can't follow him for too long, I'll be late getting back to the house._ Yeira began bickering with herself as she tried to keep her breathing silent and her footfalls quiet. _I need to follow him to see if he's another one of those monsters. What do I do if he is? Do I run again and warn my parents? Do I fight him and try to make him retreat? If I fight, can I even beat him?_ Her breathing started to tremble. As her body followed him on its own as electricity flowed through her veins from excitement and fear.

"Alright, who's there?" Yeira was startled and froze as the huntsman suddenly stopped and asked the question to the air. "You think you're some kind of assassin, following me like that?" _He can't see me but knows he's being followed._ "I'm just gonna start going in circles until you decide to give up, how's that sound?" She aimed her voice so it would bounce off a wall to him in an attempt to throw her voice.

"What's your name? What do you plan on doing?" The aggressive tone of his voice had softened to a more calm admonishing as soon as he heard her voice.

"Alright listen, my name's is Arty could you come out so I can see you please? I'm not gonna hurt you." Yeira caught herself relaxing at the tone of voice the huntsman took. _No! Remember her, that sweet tone of voice, that kindness, anyone can fake it._

"Why are you here?"

"Scouting report relating to Verin little one, nothing you should concern yourself with." She tried to keep the snarl out of her voice.

"Say that to the hundreds of people killed in that massacre. The saboteur was nice, she was a huntress too. And also someone I thought was supposed to be dead." He started to look around for Yeira.

"What are you talking about? Saboteur? People who're dead? Wait a minute… ohhkay, I get it. You're one of the survivors aren't you miss? There was a small family, and an armed boy of training age there recorded entering the city after fleeing the town. Yeira Wenday, don't worry I'm just a scout sent by Headmistress Deus for information relating to Verin. Go on home Yeira, you can trust me." Confusion started to come into her voice as well as some tearful fear almost to the point of panic.

"I don't trust you! I can't, you could be one of those _things_ and I wouldn't know the difference, I don't know if you're human or not!" She sprinted away as all her doubts struck at once with this announcement. He spotted the small figure leaving a wake in the air as she tore off into the distance. _I wonder what the hell she was talking about. Maybe the headmistress would find this information useful. An honest eyewitness to that event is really hard to come by. I feel sorry for the girl though, she had gone through hell if she's saying stuff like that._

She sprinted along the roads, the shadows shifted becoming beasts and hideous creatures that sprung from the darkness, even the fully human shadows transformed into terrifying visages of monsters. She could also see shadows as pools of blood, mangled bodies too. _I want to be a hero, I just can't do it. I'm too afraid, but I can't afford to be afraid heroes are strong enough to not worry about fleeing from fear. But I'm not strong enough!_

She managed to stumble back to the house she started to hyperventilate as she tried to make it to a place to sit back down but everything spun, a pain like a constricting rope coiled around her head in a crushing squeeze she collapsed to the ground, everything flickered and started to fade. A muted sound of a chair crashing over and quick footfalls, everything got really blurry as she saw her parent's faces. _Must… get stronger._

She woke up and it was morning of the next day, yesterday had been Friday so it was a weekend now. She didn't feel like getting out of bed. _I can't tell which is human, anyone could be one of those monsters. If they could bring a huntress like Pyrrha back from the dead as one of those things they can do a wide variety of other things that are impossible how am I going to stand against something like that?_

 _"_ _I wouldn't mind having you on my team as well Miss Wenday."_

 _That's right, I might not be able to stand against these monsters in my state, but with a team at my back, covering my weaknesses. I should be able to succeed, I guess I should focus on not being a burden to whoever I get teamed with at Haven. I'm likely going to be the first to get killed, but I would die standing up to these abominations and I would be fine with it!_ With some new resolution she sat up in her bed and marched out of her room. She breezed past her concerned parents who had been waiting for her to come out of her room. She began feeling that a one-handed practice weapon wasn't her style, she felt better with a two handed staff-like weapon, each end of the staff holding a different weapon.

Over the course of several months she experimented with forging different possible attachments to a staff. She began examining her fighting style, she was agile and preferred to immobilize before taking down an opponent, also she was a decent scout comparably for the moments she had actually concealed her presence to actual huntsmen and huntresses. She guessed that a mobility enhancing part of her weapon would be beneficial. She tried several things but realized the flexibility and the ability to strike at range gave a grappling claw a strong benefit to her style. _And if I have something like that I need a way to do extra damage to opponents I pull into close range._ She worked with a ball of metal making it more and more solid and compact as she pondered. She looked at it suspiciously and got a small smirk. _Hmm… I think this'll do, it weighs about as much as the hook so I can use this to balance the staff._ In the training arena a singlular Beowolf was released, she took a fighting stance as the creature began to stalk her. Growling and barking at her as the glowing red eyes concentrated and followed her. The three taloned grappling claw jutting from one end of the staff. Came around like it was reaching for something, the grimm lunged the hard metal knot belted the creature in the jaw, knocking it off balance. The stray claws skipped off her aura with only a little force. The impact staggered her. The wolf-like creature regained its balance and moved to attack her again. She pointed her claw and fired, the three points closed on impact with one of the forelimbs of the Beowolf. She took a solid stance and dug her feet into the floor as the beast tried to pull away. She kept the line taut as she started to heave the monster around the room. It suddenly lunged towards her as she heaved on the cable. The force of the pull and the momentum of the beast mid-flight drew it forward.

 _Krunch!_

The bone like plate protecting the Beowolf's head cracked and shattered under the solid mass of metal she detached her grappling claw and it retracted to the main body of the staff. It got up, black blood leaking from the fractured skull. She rallied her aura around her weapon to strike with extra power. She slammed the three points into the back of the downed grimm, it began to smoke and disappear. As she rested against her weapon to recover her breath she felt extra relieved. _I think I've found a way to tell if someone's a human or monster._

Over the course of the remaining weeks she meditated on her fears, facing them in her mind. She never could defeat them when she pictured her standing alone. But she imagined three other figures, a team of four like what was once team RWBY and together with these unknown shapes she could gain the confidence to stand up to these terrors. _I can't beat them as a girl trying to become strong. These creatures need to be killed by a hero, I need to become a hero, no, there needs to be a team of heroes. Because I can't take them on alone either. Maybe that odd boy knows something I don't, perhaps when I reach Haven I'll get a straight answer, because he's been like a ghost ever since that meeting._

With a will to fight and a drive to become a hero as well as standing up to her inner demons she would have far more restful nights, and was plagued by the nightmares far less often.


	8. Part 2 Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Recovered Information

Bastille sat in his room digging through his memories. He had a perfect memory, he can recall anything perfectly, however that ability allows his mind to become a little cluttered, important information gets lost and he has to dig to find it again. Before he decided to attend Sanctum he dug through his mind of the last time he was in this time period. Who were the heroes in the second war against the grimm. Tia Matthias, Shin Krosis, and Yeira Wenday, a group of three individuals who graduated from Haven Academy in Mistral, they were known as heroes during the war. All were devastatingly strong in their own ways, but they had never unified. The lines of battle became too broad, forcing humanity into a war of attrition.

He flinched as fairly painful memories played through his mind. Humanity wasn't strong enough to keep up with the endlessly spawning grimm from hidden black pools somewhere beneath the surface of Remnant. The strongest warriors were taken alive to the black pools, several weeks later another half-grimm monster appeared. Familiar faces, people who were believed to be dead supposedly escaped capture reaching safety behind the battle lines of the soul-bearing forces. Strongholds were sabotaged and bases were ransacked by half-grimm infiltrators. Yeira Wenday's forces being held up in Vayl managed to figure out that there was a way to identify half-grimms. Unfortunately the CT was captured before they could spread the information to the rest of the kingdoms.

Tia the Dragon was the first of these heroes to fall. In a devastating duel with the half-grimm dragon that had been designated Bahamut. The clash had leveled several blocks of the kingdom of Vacuo, and set fire to most of the rest of it. The grimm that had spawned from Bahamut's dragon blood were almost too much for the defenders to handle. She was wounded and captured by the half-grimm the defenders were too busy trying to fight off the swarms of blood-spawned grimm. Several weeks later a slender draconic female figure appeared on the battlefield. Using flames and talons to fight, shortly after the first appearance it was confirmed that this creature was the former dragon huntress, in memoriam she was given the designation Tiamat.

Shin was assassinated by an allied huntsman who had disappeared shortly after the war started. He had reappeared and greeted Shin like an old friend, several days passed as he was seen hanging out with the older huntsman. The male harpy transformed and killed Shin in his sleep before slaughtering several dozen soldiers in the base and fleeing the skies to the lines of grimm. The sigils of the nevermore half-grimm had versatility like that of the Schnee's, the ability to summon as well as manipulate other things like gravity and momentum.

More and more half-grimm appeared: Werewolves; a hybrid between a Beowolf a human. Serquet; humans merged with Deathstalkers. Naga; A varying degree of human completely merged with traits of the King Taijitu, one of them of note used the body of the woman formerly known as Neo Politan as a host.

The beast doesn't simply take away the humanity of the person, it preserves their will and converts them into zealous servants, fully intelligent beings. The weapons of the host change and replaced with tools that work in tandem with their monstrous powers. Other warriors who had gone missing reappeared as horrific visages, keeping all the powers and semblances that they had when they were human. An image slashed through his mind, his omniskill magic unleashed a shockwave at a half-grimm. The wave of energy was met by a flash of silver light. The shockwave came roaring right back at him, as he was hurled backwards his arm was traced with hundreds of fine cuts, tiny gashes that went straight to the bone. He hit the ground as the cuts raced up his face and almost took his eye, he looked up and saw one eye of his opponent shining a brilliant silver with the other a featureless glowing red. Yes, the silver-eye power is unaffected by the transformation to half-grimm. This power was rare but present among the forces of the half-grimm rendering even the young women who had received the incredible power of the maidens powerless to eventually be overrun and brought to Salem.

She had a new pawn, all that was really known about her was that she was a vampire she never introduced herself to anyone, all that happens is that she appears and people either die or fall under her spell. She drains the aura and life force of her victims to fuel her strength and power her semblance to control minds. All was known was that the vampire was a woman. Nobody knew where the new base of Salem was after the Dark Continent (or 'that place that looks like a dragon') had been taken and the black pools there had been destroyed.

After all four kingdoms went under siege and infected people infiltrating caused the crippling blow to the soul-bearing races, they became divided with distrust. Anyone could be a traitor, appearing to be a human in an attempt to gain trust to stab everyone in the back. Too late they realized that the blood of a half-grimm was black while a human's was red, the bastion at each of the academies were severely damaged and noncombatants were forced to evacuate while many soldiers, huntsmen and huntresses gave their lives to see them safely away. After several more years of siege the other bastions went down, the final stage happened as groups of people fleeing from place-to-place but nowhere was safe. Because where the people traveling went, they generated a passive beacon of frustration, despair, and anger for the grimm to track. Soul bearing beings were pursued all across the face of Remnant steadily the populace grew too weak to fight resist as all the capable fighters perished or were changed into monsters. Bastille remembered where he was, he stumbled across a caravan, a roaming tribe of humans who were keeping ahead of a swarm of grimm that were perpetually a few days behind them.

The grimm were too many to hide from and settle a place with natural barriers like before. Despite the situation of the world slowly coming apart around them, the children of these refugees found moments where they could enjoy themselves. The children were one of the keys to preventing them from being overtaken by the grimm. Their little joys provided warding to throw the beasts off their scent. Several weeks of traveling and fending off waves of grimm on his own, they came across a stranger, he looked ill and injured. As they moved to take him in he transformed, he was part Ursa, he roared, his call acting like a beacon to nearby half-grimms. Screeches and howls could be heard as though the countryside was alive with a cacophony of noise. Behind closed eyes his brow furrowed as he recalled his thoughts relating to that moment. _There's too many, everyone's going to die, I can't save them._ He had to retreat to see if there was another way to survive, leaving behind the caravan to be torn apart by the half-grimm. He moved as fast as his legs could carry him using his aura to push against the ground, and then teleported as far away as he could go. Several weeks of traveling on his own, using a mix of stealth and tactical takedowns he managed to find a small hidden facility full of refugees who were using it for shelter. After giving a blood test and indicating he was human enough to have red blood he began to look around.

There were less than fifty people in the group, they were playing simple games, then there was an argument, someone was cheating, there was a rumble from outside. A stray goliath had picked up on the negativity, a loud trumpeting sound as the huge tusked form charged the concealed facility. Bastille barely escaped before the facility collapsed in on itself killing everyone inside.

Death followed everywhere he went, the sky started to become covered with black clouds, over the course of several weeks it was almost like dusk at high noon. But at night the moon became red, a beam of crackling red and black energy shone down from a glyph that appeared over the blood moon and traced the surface of Remnant. In one of his travels he saw a convoy of humans being annihilated, before the beam rushed towards him.

Bastille returned to the present in a flash, he caught his breath as the information of how he died surged through him, making his heart race and his lungs ache. The boy's eyes snapped open as the emotional aspect of the memories distanced themselves, becoming data and information instead of actual memory. _The war started when humanity was spread too thin, they tried to combat a beast of infinite strength with a wall of finite power. The answer to this puzzle lies in forming a shield and lance, the lance attacks while the shield guards and prepares other lances. The lances pierce into the beast that would be the grimm army and go straight for the heart, Salem. There was no information as to where she would appear so I would just have to lead a squad from here to be a strike force and hit her as soon as she appears. Also that vampires, she might also be a key, Salem used her to collect the power of the four maidens and command the half-grimm early on. Wait a minute… ah, I found it. The four legends actually graduated from Haven, they were all parts of separate teams, the randomization of their selection didn't put them with teams that fully maximized their efficiency and they grew apart after graduation. They became divided, reinforcing Remnant as a whole, but putting everyone at an offensive disadvantage._ His eyes snapped open and he had a grin start to creep across his face.

 _The three heroes will be my team, and with my power I can make it so they end up on my team, all I need to do is roll the right power at the right moment. There is a luck-boosting ability somewhere among my thousand powers. The legends will be the lance that brings down Salem. I must meet them first._

He got up from his spot on the roof of Haven, he teleported to the ground and quickly ghosted off of the campus. He moved with the massive crowd of new students heading for Sanctum, he looked around, an image in his mind of the file relating to the three heroes. He spotted a familiar face reddish hair and a glimpse of forest green eyes. The rumors insisted that her semblance allowed her to undergo some kind of transformation, where she fights like some wild thing.

Bastille tried to move closer but the crowd kept getting in the way, he saw her look over to him he winked as he tried to move closer. But he got bumped to the ground and almost trampled, he managed to maneuver his way out of the crowd without being injured. He looked around but had lost track of the girl. _Damn, I wanted to introduce myself, I forgot what it was like to be crowded._ Data relating to other times he had failed missions and was sent back to try again suddenly asserted itself to the front of his mind. _Interacting with people in the past too much will have a chance of preventing what they become in the future, of course… but I should at least have my appearance in the backs of their minds, so they might recognize me when the time is right._

He ghosted around the campus, keeping his recognizable features hidden, his spectral white hair and golden eyes concealed. He didn't actually register for classes and participate in training. His combat awareness heightened and refined over hundreds of lifetimes allowed him to misdirect the attention of people using cover and distracting sounds. As he stalked the halls a teacher who didn't have any classes was patrolling around for any students who had bailed on their classes. Bastille hid behind a bank of lockers, the teacher seemed to sense something was out of place. He muffled his breathing and looked for something he could use. If he was spotted by a teacher they would question him, causing inconvenience, as well as things like wondering why someone so apparently young is doing at a school he hadn't signed up for, or having no evidence of parents and other trifling matters that stand in the way of his objective. A broken off half of a pencil, he scooped it up and tossed it down a staircase, it clicked audibly in the quiet halls as it bounced down the steps. The teacher shrugged and headed down the stairs.

Several weeks later he was meditating again, digging through information of what he had been doing while the world was slowly being set up to cave in on itself. Over the previous attempt at this mission, starting in appearing in the city of Mistral, he first investigated the city instead of heading outside, the town of Verin had already been destroyed by the time he had completed his search, seeing nothing out of place he headed to the other kingdoms in search of his objective in this Remnant. He started getting frustrated as no source of problems made itself known wherever he was at the time. It took a few years as he was finally alerted to the issue. News spread to all around the world of a small island named Patch off the coast of Vayl had been completely leveled, everyone had been massacred by grimm despite the natural barriers the island was surrounded by. Strong rumors of a new type of grimm appearing, smarter, stronger, faster than other types of grimm before it. Also evidence of people carved to death by weapons was present along with the rip-n-tear signature of the creatures of grimm.

He was struck on a whim to identify who he had actually fought that had silver eyes. The trait was hereditary, but it was still quite rare in his experience. He snuck into the library when class got let out and waited for someone to leave a computer unattended while they were logged on. He quickly opened a new tab and and went to the hunter's database, he opened a physical appearance search bar and typed in 'silver eyes' only a few people turned up. _Ruby Rose, status: Active. It couldn't have been her at that stage not very many half-grimm had appeared._ There wasn't a name on one, just a designation. _"Warden", status: Active. Maybe, it doesn't give an indication, but I'm sure I was fighting someone who had been a woman. I can recognize the proportions of a woman anywhere. Wait a minute… Summer Rose, status: Deceased. She was recorded to have died around thirty-five years ago. She had silver eyes too, just like Ruby who was also her daughter. Could she be the female half-grimm I fought? How would that be possible? I suppose I don't have full knowledge of what Salem is capable of, and how far the half-grimm conversion goes in manipulating the human body. I wish there was more to the circumstances of the mission surrounding her death. But I can't reach it from here. I can't identify where the rest of team STRQ is so I can't talk to them either. Grrr… there's so much incomplete data!_ He dug his hands into his hair and squeezed his head in frustration. _If I can't figure everything out before the timeline progresses too far I'll have to try again! I refuse to fail a mission more than once, I will save Remnant from this doom. I will!_

He quickly got up from the computer as a person approached with the sounds of a protest. Swiftly apologizing and closing out of the tab he left the library. _Besides, this mission deserves a special treatment, I rarely get a heroic role as big as this._ The boy unconsciously started mining for data relating to previous missions where he was some kind of hero, but dismissed the search. The past was unimportant for the moment, not merely a distraction. The past missions literally had nothing to do with what was going on right now. Other worlds and times, all similar in ways but incredibly different in almost every other, they were interesting to reminisce through every so often, but he had to get to work. He still had other members of the team to meet. He sensed a massive amount of hostility coming off of him. He actually decided it would be best to avoid Shin for a while. He also believed that Shin was suspicious of him. He actually chased him some before he could slip away. He was roaming around the campus and came across a poster with contact to share information relating to the massacre at Verin.

 _That kid… could he seriously be trying this to get more information? Heh, I suppose his file did indicate that he was the most proactive and intelligent of the trio so it's not exactly out of character for him. No doubts about it now, I definitely want him on my team._

He waited for a while and then came across the next member of his team Yeira. He located her taking cover from the bully hunter Tia. He approached her almost unnoticed until he spoke up and introduced himself. He didn't know why but he felt immense satisfaction in the imprinting of importance on the mind of the young girl. He quickly left the building and teleported to the roof. He sat on the edge with his legs hanging against open air. _I've done all I can for maybe a few years, I guess I should take some time and enjoy myself until my dear companions reach Haven, I should forge up a decent application so I can join Haven without much issue. Several lifetimes of training and experience should give me proper qualifications, but a little hard to put on an application. Wait a minute… scanning, that's right, there's an entrance exam for Haven. It's supposed to be really challenging, but according to the data Blake Belladonna didn't train at any of the combat schools before applying to Beacon. I suppose I could do something similar. I might also be putting a target on my back if I pass it with flying colors, maybe I could use a bit of Shin's paranoia. Eeeeehhh… I don't know, let's let the power decide, my magic is designed to help me in almost any situation possible, including making decisions._ He rolled his power, and received the answer. _Ability Online: Decision coin._

Dark energy formed a small disk about half an inch across, a head and tail were inscribed on either side. _The side the coin lands on will dictate if one course of action is better than the other. In relation to the objective given to me when I got here, heads will be getting a fake transcript, easy enough in a place like this. Tails will be taking the entrance exam now and waiting for the rest of my team. One is more subtle than the other, but one forces me to break the law. My current end would be achieved either way._ He flipped the coin with a soft ping it turned faster than the eye could track in the air. It struck the ground and balanced perfectly on the edge. The extra dimensional boy sighed and walked away as the coin vanished. _So it doesn't matter which way I take, it wouldn't be good or bad for me to do either. Extra subtlety wouldn't be benefitting me, so that means I should take the simplest route, and take the exam as soon as possible._ He mentally shrugged, he had been on assignments where he was some of the worst scum on Remnant, using his powers to hurt and kill, despite the fact that he was merely playing a role that was required of him. It was drilled into him that each part he played had nothing to do involving future missions. Every mission was a new beginning for him. He hadn't had a good work-out since the battle at Verin. He approached Haven and went into the registration office.

"Excuse me." He called to the woman at the desk.

"How may I help you young man?"

"I have a question relating to the introductory exam for Haven. When can I take it? It's inconvenient for me to attend Sanctum at this time, but I _need_ to train at this Academy." He did his best to give off the aura of immortal knowledge to urge the person to accept with no question. And of course… it didn't work.

"What are you talking about? You're a little young to be applying for Haven aren't you? No, you're way too young. But if you can wait a few years you'll be able to access Haven when you're about sixteen." He growled internally, he let some of the animosity he felt bleed into his voice.

"You think I'm too weak because I'm young?" He unleashed his aura and an invisible wind started to blow about the room for a few seconds. "You'll have to take me at my word ma'am, I have little to prove I'm strong enough to sign up for your Academy. Could you call your superior so I can explain myself?" The waves of force subsided as the driven aback secretary quickly called up headmistress Deus. He sat down in a chair awaiting the woman. The headmistress came in with her white dress that seemed unfit for the current age, and a gold undershirt visible along her chest. Her waist-length pearly white ponytail with a jagged streak of gold color running through it swayed as she walked into the room. She was followed by a woman who was shorter and younger looking. Grey eyes glared at the boy suspiciously _(Grey, but not silver,_ he noted), Deus sat down across from him and leaned in.

"Hello there, I'm Professor Deus. This is my assistant and friend Pallas Athenos. Now, who are you?" He looked up, he tried to make his eyes water like he was on the verge of breaking into tears as he spoke.

"I'm Bastille, sorry for making a fuss. I-I don't really have anywhere to go. I'm strong, almost like a freak. Nobody would want to take me in. My family got caught up in the incident surrounding Verin, only I managed to get away. I don't know if they're alive anymore. I heard about Haven and people there have free lodging. But only for people who pass the exam. I want a place to stay, and I'm willing to fight for it. It also plays into my goal for the future. I always wanted to be a huntsman." She took a glance at her partner. She sighed and looked away.

"Alright then, I'll let you take the application exam in a few years. We'll provide shelter for you until then, how's that sound?" Bastille rubbed his eyes and smiled a little bit.

"Thanks a lot ma'am." Pallas looked surprised at the mention of lodging.

"Wait, but sir. We're so full on students this semester where can we keep him?" The professor scratched her chin before giving a luminous smile.

"There's a spare room at my house, he can stay with me until we can confirm or deny what happened to his parents." Pallas seemed to get even more upset.

"But that doesn't even help…" She paused and through great effort calmed herself and her voice became even once again. "Very well sir, I won't stop you, but I would suggest you refrain from doing this in the future." Deus airily waved off Athenos.

"Yes of course, but rarely have I ever seen a child like this. You're really set on what you want aren't you?" Bastille nodded firmly. "Do you have a plan on when you want to attend?" The immortal child made a show of hard consideration.

"I say when these first year students graduate is when I want to attend Haven, can that work?" A warm smile brightened the entire room.

"Alright then my boy, need a ride to where you'll be staying? I'm afraid a ride is all I'll be providing for now, because I still need to be headmistress here."

"I can't thank you enough Professor. Let's go." The boy and the professor left the academy for a little while. On the drive home she asked things about him, what he had been doing before he was forced into this situation.

"My family and I had been roaming about for as long as I remember. We were headed for Verin when we heard the sounds of alarms coming from the town. Then the gates opened and there was a stampede of grimms coming towards the town from behind us. They had been forced to go one way as I had to fight off others, I almost got surrounded but I managed to use my semblance to get away, there were just so many grimm. I killed any who got too close. I think I wiped out about eight of them myself. My parents were pretty much self-trained huntsmen. They trained me up pretty good as well I suppose." She nodded and they continued to drive as she put on some music. Her house was quite large, two stories for one person to live inside. He whistled appreciatively at the sleek architecture common in the richer districts of Mistral. They went inside and he asked if he could look around a bit.

"Sure, just don't go picking locks or anything like that. You're still a guest in my house." She called as she headed for the kitchen and slipped her shoes off. He called back as he started to move around.

"Alright Professor." He roamed around disinterested until he came across a living room with a small bookshelf on it. _Hmm… how interesting._ He started to skim through the volumes, there were a few volumes of an encyclopedia, but most of them were stories like adventure, fictional things like fairy tales. He began glancing at the summaries and soon enough books were strewn about the carpet of the living room. He jumped as he heard the voice of the Professor.

"You know, my granddad told me that some fairy tales are based in truth I enjoy picturing some of the worlds in those books being real, the blemishes of Remnant's past being washed away in idealistic perfection and peace. When I saw you a certain story came to mind." Bastille's heart almost stopped dead in his chest in surprise. _A story about me, here? What do they know about me? Was I in this reality for a different mission? Think think, check data, was I here before?_ Doing his best to keep his voice level he looked up questioningly. "Really, what story is that?" She entered the room and sat down by him among the books, she had changed into more comfortable clothes.

"I recall it as the Boy of a Thousand Feats, a being who appears as a child with white hair and golden eyes. He ages like us, and is fully human like us, accept his power is strange. He always appears in the time and place his power is needed. All we really know about him is that his semblance is strange, over a thousand different effects and it changes every time. Do you know anything about that?" She spoke with a tone like she already knew the answer. _Oh, oh that's it? Phew, for a second I thought I was here as a villain last and I'm wanted for something. Well she seems to know who I am already, I might as well admit it, she is an adult and the person who's going to be the head of my classes._ He let his childlike demeanor drop and sighed.

"Alright then miss, my name is Bastille Unia, and I am on a mission. The powers that guide my semblance has taken me here and given me an objective, I must complete it if I want to move on, I already failed once I refuse to do so again." She was very interested in the way he spoke.

"Well well, I've never had a character from a fairy tale from my house before. Can you tell me what your objective is Bastille?" The hand he used to cast his magic tensed suddenly.

"One second, let's see if that will benefit my mission by telling you." _Ability Online: Decision Coin_ "Heads means telling you would benefit my cause, tails means it would become a problem in the future. This coin is bound to my internal mission so it cannot lie." He flipped the coin into the air. He caught it so he could make sure for a definitive result. The answer was tails. "Sorry my dear professor, I might be able to tell you in the future, but right now I need to keep this quiet." Her voice was gentle but the smile left her face.

"Why wouldn't you tell me? I'm an authority figure, your principal, and your senior huntress." He stood up and shrugged.

"I met your granddad you know why things are kept secret. 'I don't want to cause a panic.' Sound familiar?" He turned and started for the stairs, he turned after climbing a few of them and called back down to Professor Deus "Oh, and don't try comparing yourself to me, I have had countless lifetimes of training, fighting, living, and dying. Don't act like you're above me. I have seen the end, my end. I have been given the power to stop it, and nothing will stop me, even if I have to live a thousand lifetimes." He went the rest of the way up the stairs and looked around. He shouted back down the steps. "Hey! Where do I sleep?"


	9. Part 2 Epilogue

Part 2 Epilogue

The girl laid in her bed covered thickly in the large blankets. The pains in her arms and legs made it so she couldn't fall asleep. She was growing paler and had a severe fever the doctors couldn't do anything to help her. She could hear what they said about her, her disorder. Her body was devouring its own aura somehow, any attempt to unlock her aura further or increase the rate of aura production provided relief only briefly, but the degrading process accelerated after each attempt. Even the rich family of Zaleska with the remains of their fortune from the company who formerly had a partnership with Schnee Dust Corperation was powerless. Moments in her life played out in her waking mind as the pain started to fade and numbness started to invade her consciousness. Her father was in the office of Whitely Schnee sounds of shouting could be heard coming from the room. The cool slithering voice of Whitely could be heard. "I warned you what would happen if you didn't keep up this term. The contract you and I created dictated that you would sell all of your mines in Atlus to me if you failed to make your quota. I had overlooked these transgressions five consecutive times." The sound of her father's furious voice came from the room.

"You tricked me Schnee, you spiked the price of mining equipment from your Corporation as soon as we made that contract. You actually damaged our profits you bastard! You slowed down the amount of dust I could mine, you made it impossible for me to keep with the deal." Whitely's voice was still quite level but took on a note of injury.

"I don't understand what you're talking about. I am sorry but I have been very forgiving until now I can't let you put a drain on my corporation anymore. I will be buying your Atlus mines I wish you luck in finding fortune, somewhere besides Atlus. Farewell Mr. Zaleska, guards, we're done here would you escort our guests to the door." Vira's chair was wheeled to the door along her fuming, defeated father.

She could faintly hear her heart beat as she concentrated on breathing evenly, but even that was growing tiresome, her eyes drifted shut as everything went deathly silent. Several minutes after the silence her eyes opened and rolled around in her head as she gazed at her room. Nothing changed, her body felt limp and heavy, with no real sensation. She realized she wasn't breathing, she paused to listen, she couldn't feel her heartbeat anymore. _What's going on, am I dead? But why am I still here?_ There was a sound of a crash, gunfire, and wails of pain coming from outside her room. Her body was too heavy to move so she could barely look up towards the door. It creaked open slowly to reveal a dark hallway. "Hello child." The teenaged girl tried to speak but only her lips moved with no sound. A hooded shape appeared from the shadows. Red eyes glowed from the black hooded dress. Pale flesh extended into black-veined hands from the wide sleeves. On her matte black fingernails were stains of red.

"Who…" Vira rasped but her voice still wouldn't work.

"Someone like you, my dear." The hood pulled back revealing the face of Salem. "Take a closer look and you shall see, we are the same." Salem found a mirror and held it up to Vira's face. She recoiled at the sight of her malformed appearance. Face pale like paper, her sclera had darkened to nearly black, her irises were red with a slight glow about them, and her hair had lost all its color, leaving her with a pale mane. Black threads like cracks to her now alabaster visage crept up along her cheeks towards her eyes in smooth semicircles, unlike the jagged lines on Salem's face. "I was like you once, struggling for life only realizing that it was impossible. So I would embrace my soulless form, not unlike a grimm. So I guess you could say we are sisters you and I." Silent tears started running from the corners of Vira's eyes as the prime half-grimm leaned down to comfort her, Salem gently wiped at her tears with a cool hand. "Shhh… it's going to be okay, I'm going to help you." She whispered as she took her hand. Burning pain and the feeling of something wriggling beneath her skin brought a gasp to Vira's lips. "Don't fight it child." Salem said, her voice was giving a firm warning, but still had the soft edge. "It can sense your fear." _It can sense fear, some kind of grimm? What is this thing? I-It's actually making me feel a little better._ "You have to make _it_ dread _you_." Hungry for more of her sensations returning she dug through her mind. All her anger and frustration at being helpless by this disorder, unable to walk on her own for the longest time, her family's loss of everything at the hands of that snake Whitely, and being a burden to everyone she loved she concentrated all her anger and hate on the small presence wriggling beneath the skin of her arm.

She could get enough strength to actually lift her head and see the moving bump on her arm. She concentrated on that bump and targeted it with all her fury and frustration. Before her very eyes a small amount of color started to return to her skin, like someone had placed a drop of dye in a pool of water the color started to spread. _Yes, fear me you little insect. I've wanted to be a huntress before being struck by this curse and you're a teeny tiny little grimm aren't you, I could crush you like the bug you are if you weren't restoring my life._ Her free hand flexed at the force she was concentrating, a shimmering deep blue aura enshrouded her skin and nightdress. Salem pulled her hand back and a thin tether came from her palm and slowly hauled the insect-like creature out of Vira's arm. A small amount of reddish-black blood came from the wound before the aura started to mend the injury. She saw her reflection in the mirror, sharp angled cheeks to a rounded chin, sea foam eyes and deep brown hair that spilled down to her lower back since it rarely got cut.

"What am I, what is this?" Vira said looking at her hands, impressed that the aura she had was lasting this long.

"That, dear child, was the aura of one of your servants. I killed him and drained his aura away, it seems to agree with you. But as to the other half of your question, what you are is your choice at the moment. You can stay an immobile zombie with no heartbeat, too weak and helpless to move. Or you could join me, and I can show you limitless power, and give you the mightiest army to take your vengeance upon all the evils of this world."

Vira got up from the bed, she didn't even stumble, bedsores started mending themselves she took a fighting stance and punched the air in front of her. "I could be a huntress like I always dreamed, to move and fight faster than the eye could track. Kill monsters easily. But the funny thing is I don't really know who the monsters are. Here I am getting a free gift from the most wanted being on Remnant some kind of grimm queen. Also showing far more affection and care than my father ever did for me." _While I was ill and before we were ruined by Schnee it was almost like I didn't exist, the only people I really saw were the nurses and doctors who visited me with pointless attempts at a cure. But here I am light as a feather and strong like I had been working out every day for six months._

"You said we were like sisters? Assuming you killed the rest of my family you're the only one left. My conscience thinks I should kill you, but my instincts say something else. You have given me life, I would've never have gotten this chance no matter what those doctors dreamed up. I'll help you out Salem, or I guess you could say big sister." Salem glided around the bed and took the teenaged girl in a solid embrace.

"Thank you." After the brief hug they separated, her voice became serious as she started talking business. "Alright my dear, there is much to do. I've been watching you for a while, I need to show you how to sustain yourself and discover your semblance. Follow me Vira." The two partners left the bloodied manor behind and out into the night. There was so much to be done, and the night was still young.


	10. Part 3 Chapter 1

Part 3: BYST

Chapter 1

Stairway to Haven

The years of training courses completed Shin finally was able to reach Haven he kept mentally checking himself and his objectives to make sure he hadn't forgotten that he needed to get strong enough to rescue the bro from those nightmares. He didn't have anyone contact him with information relating to Verin much to his frustration. But eventually he had gotten over it. _I will find Betram no matter what, or who I have to tolerate to make it so._ He went through his options, every so often he found himself waking with his teeth aching like he had been grinding them in his sleep. He sometimes wandered near the wall just outside the defenses, engaging a handful of grimm at a time, also using his power to escape when the situation was getting dangerous. He ran into Qester on the airship. "Hey there comrade!" Shin didn't think it was possible but the castle fighter actually got taller over the past few years. Qester was slightly shorter than Betram was before he was taken. At only seventeen the fighter was freakishly tall and had a posture like a refrigerator.

"Hello Shin, it's been a while. Break is done and we're moving up the ranks." Qester boomed cheerfully. The pair fist bumped with enough force to send aura sparks shooting up each other's arms, immediately flinching and casually working the feeling back into their hands. "You've gotten a bit stronger since we last met… or maybe you're holding back a little less." Shin shrugged.

"Of course I was holding back friend, I didn't want to break your hand." He replied letting a cheeky grin stalk onto his face. He sat back down on the bench in the airship as Qester sat down by him. "I wonder what the entry exam is going to be like."

"I dunno, but I hope we end up on the same team. I hope it's not a stupid written exam or something." Shin looked over at his companion doubtfully.

"Seriously? They need people with at least some form of skill to be a huntsman, even the Shining Knight Jaune Arc started off at Beacon below average. He was carried along by his team until he awakened his own power during team RNJR's journey here, even then his primary value was his tactical insight in the middle of a battle." Qester cracked his knuckles and stretched his shoulders.

"I wonder if there's going to be any hidden gems among us." The white haired boy and the dragon girl appeared in the mind of Shin.

"I can think of one or two…" Shin said before noticing his friend leaning back, the emotion draining from his face as his eyes looked like they could drill holes in steel. He was staring at the wall of the airship. "Qester?"

"I feel kinda weird, I feel happy, but I feel scared too, something isn't right. I can't tell what, and its driving me nuts." Shin bumped his friend to get him back to his senses.

"That's probably because your life is changing. I felt that when I got taken in off the streets. Change is kind of scary even though you want it to happen." Qester still didn't look convinced but he agreed nonetheless.

"Hmm… I guess that might be it, just a little bit of nerves, huh?" He internally felt worried for his friend. _I'm the one who's going to have to rescue my bro, why is_ he _the one freaking out? Oh, yeah I might have a problem, I would need to convince the rest of my team that I'm not crazy as well as get them to help me rescue Betram._ He was shocked from his reverie as he heard a gruff voice snarl audibly.

"Enough of this Charles, keep this up and I might get pissed." It was an exceptionally pretty red haired girl with forest hued eyes. A big muscular-looking boy with brown hair was sitting next to her and was shamelessly attempting to flirt.

"You know a beautiful young woman such as yourself shouldn't be participating in such a dangerous academy alone. Maybe we'll end up on the same team Tia." She sighed and proceeded to not to give him attention.

"I should be saying the same to you Kingston, except maybe for you to have a team with a girl on it who those cheesy charms will work on." Her voice had a hint of gravel to it, like she was perpetually hoarse for some reason. But Shin had mistaken her tone for malice she was actually smiling slightly like the boy and girl had been through this before. "But… I wouldn't mind being on your team anyway." Shin walked over to Tia and greeted her.

"Excuse me, I feel like I recognize you… Tia?" She glanced at him suspiciously.

"Yeah, what about it?" He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Were you the girl who waged a war on bullies in the first year at Sanctum?" She groaned regretfully and kneaded her closed eyes with her fingertips.

"Urrrggh, yes that was me, running around beating people up. If you were one of those bullies I'll give you a free shot, unless you have something else to say."

"Ummm… no, you actually helped me out indirectly. I almost had to go all out against someone, but you distracted him so I could get away, thank you. It's been so long I almost didn't recognize the girl who saved my pathetic self. I hope we end up on the same team, I've got another friend who's interested. So we would already have three, unfortunately you would be the only girl at the moment." She smiled a little bit and stood up to stand slightly below eye level with Shin. His eyes noticed the scar traveling up the side of her neck without needing to move. She held out her hand she actually felt pretty good, she had a fan. _I'm becoming more like Yang every day._ She held out her hand and Shin took it and shook with a small amount of aura. Her eye twitched as she pushed back. It became a friendly duel for a few seconds, waves of aura clashing against each other. Shin and Tia both nodded and let go at the same time. The silent test of each other's strength was completed. "It would be a pleasure, what's your name by the way?"

"Shin Krosis, I would love having you on my squad Matthias." He walked back over to Qester who whistled and began speaking in conspiring whispers.

"Well look at you, not even at the school yet and you're already putting the moves on girls." Shin shrugged and nodded to Tia who had taken up the conversation with her friend.

"Well, the system kinda wants you to get to know your fellow students more, I'm just taking advantage of the opportunity to meet some strong people to help me make a strong team. How about you go and meet a few other people. I'll be here until we land. Go on my socially awkward comrade." At Shin's encouragement Qester wandered off. Looking out the window of the airship at the steadily passing landscape far below them he pondered. _I hope the training at this place gives me enough strength to match these half-grimm._ He adjusted the tan camouflage vest he was wearing over the brown shirt. He felt a chill, like someone was watching him. He looked around, he spotted a boy with white hair and a black jacket with a gold horseshoe on the back of it. He had his back to Shin and was fiddling with a black disc like a coin.

Bastille considered his question carefully. He could only use the coin every two minutes, just like the rest of his omniskill set. _Alright, it's high time I ask for a straight answer about my mission, I've been flying by the seat of my pants long enough. Decision coin, is my mission to defeat Salem and the Half Grimm? Heads for yes, tails for no._ The black coin flipped into the air and landed on the floor… standing on the edge. A torrent of confusion blasted its way through the mind of the dimensional traveler, he dug his fingers deep into his scalp and began pulling on his hair. _WHAT THE HEEELLLL?! How could saving this Remnant be optional?!_ He growled, scooping up the coin and hurling it against the wall, it disappeared into black mist as he rested his head in his hands.

"Hey, are you okay?" _What is my purpose in this place?_ Bastille turned and recognized Shin Krosis.

"Hey there Shin, I'm fine, just got some bad news." Instantly the look of concern on Shin's face creased into suspicion as Bastille turned.

"It's you… the one who addressed me out of nowhere and vanished. Who the hell are you, answer now!" _I can't spin in circles just because I don't know what my mission is, I need to keep pressing forward and let instinct guide me where my power fails, hopefully it's in the right direction._

"My name is Bastille Unia and Shin, I need to talk to you alone for a bit, there might be unwelcome ears listening." They proceeded to a secluded seating area in the aerial transport. Bastille lowered his voice. "I know what happened in Verin, I was there."

"You do?" Shin hissed, leaning in close, his body tightened like the string of a bow. "Why the hell didn't you contact me?" Not intimidated by the far more inexperienced fighter Bastille started to feel a little more normal, a smirk crept into his face.

"Attempting to get information on your own is admirable, I'm surprised you didn't get caught and killed. I didn't contact you because it could be easily tracked I couldn't risk it."

"So then… why did you just appear, say hi to me and then vanish for the rest of my school career and just appear now?" _I don't know anymore._

"I wanted to meet you and the rest of the people I'm going to have on my team." Shin leaned back and his voice relaxed slightly.

"You say that like it's a certainty." Appearing to remember why he was so concerned with this other boy he took a serious tone again. "So, what happened in Verin?" Bastille shrugged absently.

"I have my ways." Then he leaned in and quietly explained what he saw there, adding in little bits of data from the previous attempt at a mission, the monstrous half-grimm. The organized assault on the town, the obviously sabotaged defenses, and the creature's ability to turn into a fully humanoid form, and even a subtle hint that he had run into their kind before. "Now tell me… why are you so interested in these matters? What did they do to you?" _This is some of the data I'm missing, not to mention extremely useful info._

Shin told him about the naga who had attacked and stole Betram, and Shin getting training and when he's strong enough he'll eventually hunt down and rescue his 'bro' "I would walk through fire for my friend, because I know he'd go through fire for me. He gave me a life that wasn't on the streets and he was the one who basically saved my life." _He's going to murder you, ya know._ Bastille reminded himself.

"Indeed." Bastille held up his hand to stop any questions from the other boy. "You might be able to find out who I am in a little bit during the entrance exam. Will that be okay?"

"Grrrr… fine! Just don't get yourself killed in the entrance exam." Shin growled impatiently as Bastille snorted.

"Don't underestimate me, I took on a whole group of those monsters and didn't die. Of course I didn't end up killing any of them in that encounter. It's like taking on four huntsmen at once, not even counting the army of grimm that was following them around." That got Shin's attention once again.

"You could take on four huntsmen at once?"

"Well, maybe in a decade, but if I were in a fight to the death against four huntsmen, I would be quite dead after about two-to-three minutes, but I could take them on one at a time with about… actually five minutes between each should be enough for me to recover my aura from any damage." Shin looked at the boy who appeared no older than him. _He's confident enough to say that?_

"You talk big, could you back it up?" Shin said extending his hand which was now crackling with aura. Not quite understanding the situation Bastille shook the hand. The two auras clashed silently. The pressure Shin put on his opponent seemed to go completely unnoticed until the handshake ended. _How did he do that? I pushed as hard as I could._ He stared at his hand nonplussed at the situation. Bastille appeared next to him and put an arm around his shoulder and made a grand sweeping gesture with his other hand.

"Remnant is a massive place, there are some things in this world that nature can't explain. I'm one of those lesser known things, I'll tell you more in a little bit. But for now, we're going to be landing soon, and I need to meditate on things for a minute. Go on, I'll see you later Shin." Bastille said sitting back down in the secluded area of the air transport. _I'll question more relating to my hand of fate objective once Salem is dead, if I missed the trigger for the objective I'll at least live out the rest of this life with a clear conscience. And an existence where the world hasn't gone straight to hell, or even if it's something where saving the world is optional maybe something like that is timeless._ A grin crept across his face with his eyes still being closed. _If that's the case, I've got a limitless amount of wiggle room._

Tia checked her Tiamat combat suit, running her hands over the clusters of dust weaved into it. She could feel the flames call from under her quick-change shirt and pants, the kind that can be removed almost instantly in a single sweep. _I had to design and modify some of my own clothes to make this work, I got tired of incinerating my clothes when I use Tiamat. The suit is my weapon, like a gun, and I need to be able to draw it quickly… Semblance._ She called to the strange presence that dwells as her power. The reptilian reflection appeared sitting beside her.

 _Yessss?_

 _You remember the deal?_

 _Of course, you want to use my strength without me controlling your body. Because the power isn't actually mine, it's yours. I can probably restrain myself from taking control for about five minutes. That is only with the scale torso armor and strength of the dragon. Anything more and you'll reduce the amount of time you have. Then the fight stops when_ I _say it stops._

 _Yes, I'm aware of that too. Can I trust you not to kill any of my allies?_

 _Of course my love, I won't kill or permanently harm what's… ours._

She shuddered with mild disgust, because apparently over the course of her training with her semblance the manifestation of her power had developed some odd stalker/romantic infatuation with her, it was incredibly creepy. She checked her quick-change suit. She had picked pieces of clothing she liked to wear a lot to dice up to cover her combat suit. She liked the feel of the pants, they were made of a smooth and black material that swished when she walked. There were stylized stripes down the sides of mottled red and orange, also the release for the pants was hidden there. She had a loose-fitting green and red light jacket that she could also easily strip out of. She had a smoke-gray t-shirt with three black marks like claws down the front. Tia found it oddly comforting that the claw symbol matches the angle of the scar on her chest. _I wish I could find a way to straight up transform my clothes at will. I heard someone had been able to do that a few years ago. She was like some thief in a stealth suit that transformed into a dress to blend in at a rich party. I'll have to figure out how to do that eventually._

She looked out the window at the ornately constructed Haven Academy as the transport steadily approached. She heard her friend slowly gasp in awe. It felt like something started to give inside her. A stone started to crack, and glowing lines of heat began to show through the surface her heart began to pound. _All that stands between me, and being able to share my goal with someone. Is one single challenge, then I'll be with a group of people who have to believe my story if we're going to be working on a team._ She closed her eyes and could picture Yang there with her. Her uncannily warm hand resting at the small of Tia's back, gently pushing her forward to her future. She looked over at her reflection that had appeared sitting next to her. The visage similar to Tia leaned in and put its head on her shoulder, warmth spread through her body as the mental support of her semblance also felt pleasant with this course of action as a soft and warm flame kindled in her heart. _My plan is in place, so I can relax and enjoy myself for now. I get to be a huntress!_

The ship landed and students started wandering out at a decent pace Qester, Shin and Bastille found their way to the entrance and left the ship. They started talking about what the trial could be again and Bastille spotted a shy-looking girl with a collapsible staff with a large knot like a cudgel on one end hanging from her belt. He quickly excused himself and effortlessly made his way towards her through the throngs. He snuck up beside her and tapped her gently on the shoulder with a single finger. "'Sup?"

"Oh, it's you… hey there Bastille. I didn't know you were going here, especially because you never went to Sanctum after I saw you." She said with a hint of nervousness with her hands behind her back. He nudged the girl with the golden-brown hair in a friendly manner.

"Don't worry about it Yeira, I'll tell you everything when I'm part of a team with you."

"I'm still not sure I can do this Bastille." He threw and arm over her shoulder roughly.

"Hey, don't worry about it, in order to prevent things like Verin happening again, it has to be us. I've got a few other guys who've run into similar things to us. They'll be willing to work with us if we have a pinch of luck on our side. We've got this." He said with confidence similar to saying that Remnant will keep spinning. Yeira took strength in the confidence exuded from the strange boy. "Concentrate, remember why you're here, but don't let it blind you to what's going on right now. Then you'll do just fine. Now, I've got a few other issues to take care of, I'll see you at the assembly." Yeira waved goodbye as Bastille hurried off.

Reaching a secluded area he pulled out the decision coin. _Alright, I'll forgive you if you give me some good news. Question topic: Mission. Are Tia Matthias, Shin Krosis, Yiera Wenday, and myself important to this mission? The answer was yes._ He sighed in relief. _Phew, thank dust I'm not that far off track, so if I stick with them I'll likely be able to deduct what my actual mission is._ The coin disappeared and he headed for the main building looking for the assembly.

He found his way there shortly before Deus appeared for her announcement. Unfortunately he had lost track of his future companions and couldn't find them before the headmistress of Haven appeared. "Hello students, I am Professor Deus, I will be heading your educational experience moving forward. Now, you have been chosen to participate in one of the four grand Academies of Remnant. The grimm war of over twenty years ago revealed this to us. When terror and shadows loom, there may not be enough time to learn and grow and wait for graduation. The best we can hope for is that when it comes, we will be ready to face this danger. To stand together as huntsmen and huntresses for all those who hold a soul, coming from all corners of Remnant to become its protectors, and its heroes. You're learning will not stop when you graduate this place, we are merely here to give you a good start. Attend Haven academy keep getting stronger, faster, and smarter. As long as you keep moving forward, you shall succeed in any endeavor." She turned away from the microphone and the assistant Professor Athenos stepped up.

"Dorms will be assigned once the trial has taken place. Women will rest in the cafeteria this evening. Men will be using the auditorium here to sleep. Sleeping bags will be provided for those who haven't brought any. Near the arena you'll receive numbers for your own starting lockers to store your belongings until tomorrow. Are there any questions?" One of the students raised his hand.

"When will we get the rocket-powered lockers?" A soft rumble of laughter echoed around the auditorium at the out-of-place question.

"Those of you who remain will be gaining access to your own rocket-propelled locker similar to the ones at Beacon during your second semester." More than a few huffs of irritation came from the crowd of people. "Will there be any other questions? Very good, enjoy your first day here and feel free to tour the facilities and information kiosks there'll be snacks and drinks provided when the tour starts. However, everyone will be expected to bed by ten 'o'clock this evening. The trial will begin at nine-thirty in the morning, any who are late by more than five minutes will not be allowed to participate and will be sent home. You are given one chance for this. Enjoy the campus." Everyone started funneling out of the auditorium there was excitement and worry in the air. There was a place providing maps of the Haven campus. There was a history building, arena and gymnasium, cafeteria, even a map to the dormitories. Basically the campus was a small town for students to live and go about their business.

Bastille was reviewing his data from the previous mission in an isolated corner of the library while skimming the book supposedly based off of him. _Seriously? What's with this ridiculous backstory on me? Makes me sound like some kind of superhero, although it's not fully wrong, I just fill the role my mission puts me into, good or bad doesn't matter. I don't remember where I came from, or what started this pattern of missions. Maybe I could ask about it right now._ He called on his power. _Heads for god, tails for human. Neither? Hmmm… Question; was I once human? Heads for yes tails for no._ In all his lifetimes he had never really considered what he truly was, he _seemed_ human enough, but it always seemed inconsequential, the mission always came first, never time to slake basic curiosity, the answer was yes. _I was a human once? How interesting! If that's the case how the hell did I end up like this? Maybe this little book isn't complete lies after all. That could be the reason there's no data relating to me being here before, maybe I had power before the first mission I was ever assigned._ Shifting away from the past he also remembered the previous iteration of the assignment at hand, to sum it up he roamed around slaughtering groups of grimm that had gathered outside of towns and cities, of course it couldn't stop the events that were to come, he hoped that his different decisions would lead to a more preferable outcome. _I wonder if I was actually making an impact, or if I was just wasting my time._ He heard the sound of someone approach him. _Such slow, light footfalls, are you nervous? Or merely curious about me and don't want to scare me off or convince yourself that something incredible is true, like a mirage?_

"H-hello." Came a small and furtive voice from his left, he turned to look at the source, a girl with a fleece cap and an unzipped grey jacket was addressing him.

"What's up?" She had a kind of fairly racy sports-bra like top under the jacket. _At least she seems confident about her own body, something about me must be making her awkward._

"That's a very interesting book you're looking at, I recommend it." Deciding to play dumb Bastille spoke like he had actually been paying attention to the book.

"Is that so? I've read the first couple of pages and the main character isn't all that interesting so far. He only cares about the mission, not getting emotionally involved. While I admire the devotion there has to be a limit. He's more like a machine than a person." She acted like he just insulted himself.

"Don't say that! Later in the book he becomes a very kind and caring individual." _I'm getting the intense feeling she knows my identity and she's trying to play it off like she doesn't know… her nerves are giving her intention away though._ He smiled with his eyes closed before speaking again.

"Do you know who I am?" As he spoke he suddenly felt a surge of deja-vu at the tone of voice he used.

"You're the boy of a thousand feats, aren't you?" Bastille smiled knowingly and spoke with a purposeful hint of irony.

"Drat, my cover is blown. By the way Miss, would you kindly not mention this to anyone else? I'm doing something quite important and you spreading rumors about me would be detrimental."

"Of course." The woman replied sharply before moving to sit down across from him. "I'm a huge fan by the way." He gestured to the closed book.

"It's kinda funny, I don't really know when I was here last, I have full records of everything I've seen and done since my very first mission. But there's nothing relating to me being here before, yet you guys have written this book supposedly about me. I've figured something out. This reality was where I was born as a human, this reality was the place I received my power. Give me a second I want to try something." He pulled out the decision coin and looked at the closed book on the small table. _Yes, or no, is this book true? The answer is Yes._ "Correction the book really _is_ about me, there's a good chance I'll read it sometime later. Ah, where are my manners? My name is Bastille Unia, my weapon is Golden Horn: the sword shield, backed up by a wrist-mounted blaster." She seemed a bit more relaxed now as she introduced herself.

"I'm Edina Hiyero, my weapon is the Silver Bishop: A dust pistol-sniper combo." Bastille's eyes widened as he leaned in a bit closer resting his forearms on his knees.

"Oooo… how does that work? Commonly I've seen weapons have a melee and a range transformation I've rarely seen weapons that both forms are strictly ranged." Her face reddened slightly as she reached back behind her to a holster that was at the back of her waist, near the small of her back. A gun of bright silvery steel came up. It was tall for a gun, it appeared to have multiple barrels, it was about as tall as the width of the girl's hand. There was a small peg like a bolt for a rifle along the inner side, on the other side there was a button for the safety and a sliding switch of varying colors, likely for dust ammunition. The ammunition went into the handle in its pistol form in large clips. There was a group of notches along the top that indicated a gunsight. Bastille mentioned it and she said that she would carry a handful of extra parts to link to the Silver Bishop pistol, including a stock and a scope. She switched the safety off and pulled on the firing pin. The upper part of the pistol barrel extended up and the barrel folded out, slightly more than doubling the length of the barrel to four feet. The upper half of the gun collapsed back down.

The weapon wasn't as tall anymore but it was certainly longer. It just looked like a sidearm with a ridiculously sized barrel, and the second barrel that was still the pistol length. Bastille looked at the second barrel suspiciously. "What's this second barrel for? It doesn't look like it's connected to anything." She stuck her tounge out mischievously before collapsing the weapon again.

"That barrel is for my semblance. Aura Pontifex, I can change the consistency of my aura to a handful of effects, I can load a copy of the effect onto a projectile. Basically I load some kind of blunt dart up with my aura and shoot an ally with it. Then the power is transferred to their aura."

"Incredible! What effects can you do?"

"I can reinforce someone's damaged aura, boost the aura channeled to their weapons, and accelerate their movements by making their aura flow easier along with their bodies." He nodded his head approvingly.

"Very interesting, Miss Hiyero. I wouldn't mind watching you fight." She started to shift awkwardly and there was a moment of hesitation before she spoke again.

"I was seriously hoping we could end up on the same team, together." Bastille shrugged as he replied.

"The chance is non-zero but, more likely than not the teams will be picked at random. I have my own team in mind, but I wouldn't mind becoming friends with you during this semester anyway." A cunning thought wormed through his mind. _I could use this girl to gain access to an alliance between teams when it hits the fan, a lance of eight people is a bit better than a single team of four. But more than two teams would be a disadvantage. Any extra fighters would be needed to form an initial guard against the first wave of grimm, and hold them off until the lance could pierce through and kill the heart._ A confused expression crossed her face as Bastille silently drew his decision coin from thin air and flipped it, the result was tails. _Damn, she's such a nice girl too I really wish she would be part of my mission. Well, at least I'll be able to hang out with such a kind girl during my career as a student of Haven. I only hope that when Salem strikes this girl doesn't get killed before my plan can happen._

* * *

 **A/N: Welcome to Haven everyone! There isn't much information about how the place is structured so I'll be forced to be general about what the academy looks like. But, it seems like all the members are making good friends right? Next chapter will be the trial that sets the group's fate into motion!**


	11. Part 3 Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Forward!

Professor Erios barked at the lineup of applicants. "Alright you maggots, the situation is this. The kind headmistress has decided to personally oversee your pathetic trial. If you disappoint her I'll kick your ass myself! You are currently standing on a floor that drops away randomly, each color tile is a trap door, two colors will be called out at random. Those two doors will open simultaneously and drop those standing on them into the arena, that person will be your partner for the rest of your career at Haven." There were a few nervous groans from a handful of the students not expecting this. "We shall set up the pairs ourselves and then they shall be a team and they will either pass, or fail as a team. Now, we are standing twenty feet above the floor of the arena, this will be the equivalent of a short landing from an airship, so this is a good opportunity to come up with possible landing strategies. Upon landing you will be faced with grimm, mechanical drones, or a professor. Either dispatch your targets… or in the case of fighting the professor, last five minutes. You'll be graded on your individual skill as well as your teamwork abilities. If you're unlucky you'll be set up fighting _me_ , Professor Erios the combat trainer."

Just hearing this guy talk almost drove Tia to grinding her teeth. _I hate this guy so much, he sounds like such a bully, I_ _ **hope**_ _I get the chance to take this pretentious bastard down a peg._ The professor left the room.

 _Fwip Fwip Fwip!_

Tia's jacket, shirt, and pants were cast aside in half a second leaving her in the Tiamat suit. It covered her upper torso, waist, legs, and arms. The dust-powered suit had swirling red patterns of flame dust everywhere on it. Lightly armored gauntlets dispensed long metal talons to slip over her fingers. She slid small hooks into little loops at her waist as she stood ready to drop, her tile color was red. The entire class's eyes turned at the girl who had appeared to be stripping a second ago.

Bastille's blaster gauntlet hummed slightly as it charged. Gold Horn detached from his hip and what appeared to be a scabbard stretched into the shield portion of the odd weapon. The circular shield disrupted by the flat blade jutting from the edge. His tile color was gold.

Shin loosened the spears in the holder on his back he shifted the carrier to his side to prevent them coming loose on the drop. He pulled out his two smaller spears and held them in opposite grips in preparation as he looked down, his tile color was blue.

Yeira extended her staff and readied the grappling hook for the drop to make sure she doesn't injure herself in the fall. The heavy cudgel weight thunked against the green tile beneath her feet, carefully keeping her arms and legs in line with the tile to avoid getting snagged when the tile dropped away.

Suddenly two colors flashed on a screen arranged in front of the students: Teal and White. There was a loud mechanical snap and a pair startled grunts as two students suddenly plunged into open air. The panels closed, shutting out all sound from the arena. There was just silence that was in the middle of the chamber above the arena.

Another pair was thrown in five minutes later, and another. Qester Oryx and Charles Kingston were thrown into the pit. At last red and green flashed on the screen. Yeira felt a shock of fear as someone who was such a terror in Sanctum is now fighting alongside her, mixed with the surprise of suddenly falling. Her eyes darted to the ceiling, there were bars along it, her grappling hook shot up and latched onto one of them, slowing her descent as the cable spooled out like fishing line. The chutes on Tia's suit opened up like a pair of wings and filled with air, slowing her descent so she would only land with a solid thud and on bended knees. Tia looked over to the girl she had never met before and nodded in greeting. "He-hello…" Yeira replied nervously. An speaker from an intercom into the arena.

"You will be fighting… a professor." A platform with a closed area on it shifted forward over a deep pit like a moat around the arena. The door on the cell opened and a bronze armored and helmeted figure stepped out, in another world he would look like a Roman Centurion. A big rectangular shield with a chunk carved out from it, and a spear in his other hand, a size perfect to be thrust through the oddly formed part of the shield. The professor's eyes were in shadow from his helmet. A glimmer of amusement happened and he started to shake. He leaned the spear against the ground and broke into solid chuckles.

"Aha-ha-ha! It's you! Of all the times I didn't expect to work out my promise already!" He reached up and pulled the helmet off, revealing the face of Professor Erios. Tia could hear a panicked squeak from her companion. The plumed helmet clattered to the floor. "I said I would have a fight where I wouldn't hold back on you, to prove just how weak you are compared to me, maggot." He shrugged as a monitor above the arena displayed a countdown from twenty seconds. "Of course it's true you might pass me eventually, but right now you're the student and I'm the master. You didn't seem to get that in your head Yeira last we met. So now I'm going to remind you." An airhorn indicating the start of the match blared. The screen turned into a tournament style aura reading system. It showed Yeira, Tia and Erios' aura levels as they were preparing to engage, also a five minute countdown. The Centurion rushed forward and the pair split up to avoid being engaged by the close range fighter. Yeira launched her grappling hook in an attempt to grab the shield. He turned and knocked the claw aside as he rushed forward. Leaping Talon's haft came across swiftly to deflect the seeking spearpoint. Erios' shield came in again and slammed into the torso of the student almost throwing her onto her back, she managed to keep upright as she slid backwards. The indicator on the screen showed her aura taking a few points of damage. She took the cudgel weight in both hands and hammered against the shield, she was aware of the claw being reeled in steadily approaching the teacher from behind.

As she saw the other girl being bullied around the ring by the professor she could feel her ire rise at the grin on the teacher's face, the grin of a bully so damn confident he can win in a fight, fighting just to make his opponent suffer. _I really want to fight him, but I don't want to lose control and jump in too early, I need a plan._ She spotted movement as the claw was slowly being reeled in by Yeira's weapon. _Oh… I've got an idea!_ She circled around behind the teacher and tossed the hook as it trailed along the ground, it clamped onto the spear in the professor's hand. Erios hesitated and looked at the claw latched onto his weapon. It was reeled in sharply, almost pulling it out of his hand. Yeira dug in her feet as Erios was drawn closer by his refusal to release his weapon. Tia saw her opponent off balance as she braced to attack. Flames roared from Tiamat like thrusters on her legs, she slammed against his shield with a shoulder charge. Her aura concentrated in her shoulder pushed even harder. Erios lost his grip on his spear as he was almost knocked down. He growled angrily as he backed up and looked around as the spear was flung to the opposite end of the arena. The shield came around in an uppercut and sent Tia flying, she slammed into the wall on the opposite side of the big pit around the arena. Her aura dropped by an eighth. The claws on her gauntlets shot out and dug into the wall. Flames danced and consumed the forests of her eyes as her aura was drawn beneath her skin. She jetted back to the platform of the arena. Flames billowed from her sleeves and followed her hands forward, a fireball came forward and rocketed towards the professor. He raised his shield and blocked it while being forced back a few steps. A small dent in the floor of the arena appeared in the wake of him kicking off the ground and moved in a blur towards the spear. He stopped as he grabbed the spear up, aura flared from him as he darted into striking range of Tia. Her pupils changed shape, her eyesight heightened and her muscles tensed as she read the incoming attacks as they approached. She avoided the strikes easily despite the weapon appearing to be in multiple places at once. Her heart hammered painfully against her ribcage as she planned her counterattack.

She managed to catch the spear by the haft as it avoided her head. Erios was open slightly when he attacked. Her talons on her free hand came up towards the eyes of the professor. The four curved blades skipped off his aura just short of gouging out his eyes. Erios didn't even blink. He jumped up, carrying Tia into the air with him. Losing her footing Tia grunted in surprise. She found herself beginning to fall with the professor's shield pressing against her. An attempt to crush her into the floor of the arena, a note of instinctive fear crossed her mind. Before Erios was sharply pulled sideways, the hook from Leaping Claw dug into the armor on his side. Yeira was plying the weapon like a fishing rod, she swung it and the line cracked like a whip sending the professor barreling into the floor of the arena, he managed to land on his feet though. His aura only had a small amount missing even after that effort. He grabbed the line and heaved Yeira forward sending her hurtling towards his readied spear. Tia had hit the ground and saw the situation. The dust on the pants of Tiamat flared to life, a jet of fire shot out of one of her feet and slammed into the warrior, the pressure of the released fire propelled her into a backwards roll to proper footing.

Erios staggered sending Yeira bouncing off his shield and almost colliding with Tia and knocking them both off the edge of the arena. Tia rushed forward while Yeira was trying to get her breath back. Tiamat burped little bursts of fire to accelerate her forward from her feet. She flipped and brought a blazing kick down from over top of Erios' guard, he stepped to avoid it and shoved her down with his shield. Her talons dug into the floor and she instantly flipped to her feet in time to see the spear coming at her. Her heart began to pound again as her mind and body accelerated to read the attack. But nothing changed, her heart was pounding hard and her focus was staying the same, she barely avoided getting directly struck multiple times using her claws to defend, glancing strikes as the edge of the spear glanced off Tiamat. Her deliberately thinned aura did little to actually deflect the strikes, a shallow cut was formed on her face by a parried blow. The warrior suddenly choked up on his spear's grip and the solid metal staff of the spear swung around and cracked her along the sternum, the direct impact to the scar caused flashes of pain and images of death in her mind. Along with echoes in her mind like someone struck a bell with a single word. _Mine! Nobody will take this fight from me, it's mine!_

"RRrraaooaahhh!" There was a blinding flash of orange and red flames as they roared from Tiamat for a split second. She cannoned into the solidified guard of Erios, Tiamat was glowing red hot with thermal energy, flames billowed around her hand as she spun striking with her talons, once, twice, blurring aside as the seeking point of the spear moved to counterattack. She matched the professor's speed from previous maneuvers. Yeira stole a glance at the timer remaining in the match. There were only two minutes left. Yeira felt her knees tremble at the fearsome visage of Tia, one of her legs suddenly gave as memories of the horrific image of the corrupted Pyrrha started to course through her mind, she dropped to one knee as everything began to swirl. She braced herself on Leaping Talon as she tried to get to her feet. _Come on, I can do this, just… stand… up!_ The dragon slashed and hammered at the legionnaire with talons, fists, and feet. The impacts eventually laid him out flat but he managed to regain his footing almost instantly. He backed up as Tia followed him like a predator stalking prey. She had hunched over, with her arms very close to the ground like could run around on them easily. She swayed slowly on her feet any movement could be an attack. She lightly flicked her claws, narrow beams of aura shot out like a group of blades at him, he dodged and slashed with his spearblade sending a similar cutting ripple of aura at Tia, she met the strike with her talons directly, Tia got pushed back by the impact but shattered her opponent's aura blade. She lunged again, and again, the professor easily met her charges and turned her momentum aside and countered with light strikes and whips with the spear blade and staff.

Yeira gritted her teeth and started to move. _She's completely lost control of herself, if she keeps charging in like that she's going to lose._ She took a step forward but her other foot refused to follow. _I don't want to get caught up in that rage, what if she goes after me? I need to throw off his rhythm, I need to get him in range, that's all I need._ She thought, the phrase repeating itself in her head to quell the welling panic of close proximity to the monstrous child who was giving the Professor a hard time. She fired Leaping Talon and it clamped onto his shield arm, Yeira heaved trying to pull the shield out of position. "You're in the way!" Erios barked, swinging his arm. Yeira was caught off guard by the line suddenly going taut and moving away, she was swung off her feet and collided with Tia who had been going in for another lunge. They rolled over a few times with Tia ending up pinning Yeira, in her berserk fury Tia had seized her partner by her shirt and had her hooked talons held centimeters away from the breathlessly frightened girl's neck.

Tia held herself back from executing the helpless girl. _Idiot! She's our partner you bastard semblance! You have to pay attention to friends and foes if we're going to stay alive._ The talons retracted and alarms went off in her head. She released Yeira and turned to see Erios standing over her with a raised spear. _Right then, she's our partner, mine!_ Her power flared anew as the blade of the spear cut deep into her hand as she caught it. The attack left the professor slightly open a burst of flame sent him flying and rolling along the floor of the arena. Tia managed to regain some sort of control over herself. Putting her hand reassuringly on the shoulder of Yeira, despite the gesture the other girl still seemed terribly confused. Tia stood up, she looked at the clock, and there is a little over a minute left. "You alright, did I hurt you?" She asked watching the partially stunned professor get to his feet.

"I'm fine… but, are _you?_ "

"Sorry about flipping out, I'll explain later- oh crap!" Erios came rocketing towards the two huntresses in training. He found his spear deflected and a flying grapnel coming at him, he blocked with his shield. He stepped in a crescent pattern and turned, sweeping his back leg out, catching Tia and bringing himself around to face Yeira. The spear landed a direct strike as it threaded past her defense. Sending her rolling as his aura shot from the tip in a concussive force. Her aura dropped to yellow from that single blow, slightly above red. During her frenzy Tia's aura had been worked down to yellow as well. Yeira swung her cudgel with two hands, the hard knot made the shield of Erios ring like a bell. Tia grabbed him from behind and jetted into the air, flipping over several times, forming a wheel of fire midair and smashed the huntsman into the floor of the arena. Now his aura dropped to yellow as well, doing a lot less damage than she had expected. The professor was pressed on both sides by the pair of girls when the horn sounded to end the match. Erios growled frustrated as his spear collapsed into a foot long tool with a blade and his shield collapsed into something narrower and easier to carry.

"I was hoping to teach you a lesson by beating you down and making it so you couldn't go in. I was forbidden from using my semblance during this trial, so lucky you." He said leaving through one of the pit crossing entrances. Another appeared and waited for the two girls to board the pair kept their distance from each other. Yeira couldn't help but feel a nameless terror gnawing on her psyche relating to Tia. _Is she human? I don't know if she's one of those monsters like Pyrrha, I swear I saw her start to transform into something…_ _maybe she really is. Oh no, I'm in a room alone with her, is she gonna kill me now for seeing her change? I have to strike first!_ Leaping Talon flashed out, Yeira dashed across the room with her aura pushing off the floor. The claw clamped onto Tia's shoulder around her arm. Tia grunted in surprise as she was flipped around and pinned to the wall, Yeira holding her other arm in place with her free hand. Tia tensed to strike back at the sudden threatening move. She consciously forced her muscles not to resist, but her aura filled Tiamat and the dust patterns flowed and changed color like barely contained flames.

"What are you, some kinda monster?!" Tia's eyes still stayed forest green but were narrowed in frustration.

"Listen to me carefully. What you saw was my semblance: Red Dragon. It isn't easy to control… it turns me into some half-human animal if I don't pay attention to it. I never lost control to that degree for a long time. I'm sorry for almost murdering you." Yeira didn't let her go.

"I've seen a grimm with an aura before, what's to say you aren't one of those? Don't you lie, freak show!" Tia's eyes widened.

"You ran into one as well?! You know of the half-grimm?" Tia almost shouted, suddenly with a loud grunt of exertion flames erupted in a small explosion from Tiamat knocking Yeira back. Tia had her hand out and a ball of highly focused flame flowed around the tip of her finger like a primed bullet. "What do you know? Are you one of those things?!" A small amount of smoke poured off of Yeira's aura as she recovered her balance, she had Leaping Talon's grapnel pointed at Tia and her finger resting on the trigger.

"I know because I was present at the massacre at Verin seven years ago, my family was one of the few survivors. Ran into a Deathstalker that looked like a human at first, she tricked me, tricked everyone else too. What about you?"

"A draconic grimm with aura, wielding a sword, killed my father, and almost got me too, Red Dragon saved me." The pair both lowered their weapons. "Guess we both lost something to these strange creatures, I'm guessing nobody believed you when you tried to tell them either huh?" Yeira nodded as Leaping Talon collapsed into carrying form and stowed it away.

"So I suppose we're partners then?" Tia nodded in response as the elevator reached the exit of the arena. They walked out of the place together. They were directed to a waiting area for the other groups that had passed.

Bastille waited, he was feeling slightly anxious, and he was rolling a black die that boosts luck between his fingers. _I ask the forces that guide my Hand to destiny to lend me a boon, give me the luck needed to press forward upon my mission, my destined path. Let fortune favor your chosen champion._ He pinched the die between two fingers and it disappeared in a puff of black mist. _Alright, the spell is complete, now I just need to wait._ Two colors flashed on the screen gold and blue. _Oh shit! Not ready!_ He jumped in surprise; he had to wait two full minutes before he could use his power again. He didn't expect the spell to work that quickly. He barely charged his aura in time to avoid breaking his legs from the fall. The impact drove him to one knee. Golden Horn came off his shoulder and looped over his arm with the sword blade extending beyond his hand. A single word got announced over the speakers in the arena. "Grimm!" A door started to shake near the edge of the arena, a reinforcing bar started to be mechanically shifted out of the way. The instant the bar was clear the door was slammed open by a Beowolf. It's glowing blood-red eyes scanned the room before alighting on Shin and Bastille. It howled in an uncanny scream-like sound. Bastille could hear Shin huff in dissatisfaction. There appeared to be only one monster, it was quite large though, likely an alpha.

The howl was suddenly joined by several others. "Shit." Shin swore quietly as five Beowolves stormed the arena and started circling them. Immediately Bastille began blasting with his wrist cannon. The weapon's projectiles were slower than bullets and the grimm were far enough away to spot the incoming attacks. They didn't group up as they scattered to avoid being struck by the blast. A thin light javelin from Mardkhora flashed out piercing one of the legs of the grimm. Trickster's mark activated returning the javelin to Shin's hand he smoothly stowed the javelin in its holder as he took the heavy spear in both hands. Spinning once to build up momentum he drove the spear upwards through the injured monster's head, piercing the skull plate from the inside. It was struggling weakly as it tried to reach for him with its claws. He flipped around and there was a snapping sound as he also broke the neck of the Beowolf before removing his weapon from the skull of the grimm. Two other Beowolves attacked from either side, they acted exactly like Shin expected. Trickster's Mark activated; teleporting him clear of the crush zone, the two Beowolves crashed into each other and hit their heads together. Bastille saw the set up and leaped in, burying the blade of his weapon in the back of one of the grimms while Shin stabbed one repeatedly with the twin spears. The alpha moved to engage the pair, thick bones wrapped the chest of the creature like ribs. Its skull plate was a little thicker than the others. Bony spines emerged from its elbows and back. It quickly closed the gap running on all fours. Bastille blocked the first charging strike. Unfortunately he was knocked off balance from the impact. The second strike came from the opposite direction sending him sailing across the arena. He flipped and recovered his footing, the edge of his weapon sparking against the floor to maintain his balance.

For an instant Shin was alone against the Beowolf alpha. He dropped one of the javelins and parried a strike from the alpha's claws. He grunted as the force shifted and slammed into the floor directly instead of him. He brought the blade of the spear around and jabbed several short thrusts as he circled around forming deep cuts along the flank of the beast between the outer ribs. The other claw came around; the second javelin twin reappeared in his hand. The point thrust out towards the incoming strike, impaling the hand of the grimm. Shin used this contact point as leverage to pull the alpha off balance. He stabbed the other hand of the grimm through as it came around to try and dislodge him. He released both his weapons and gave a backflipping kick to the head of the grimm. In midair he reached out and grabbed his heavy killing spear. He landed with his back foot coiled like a spring, his muscles and aura flexed.

Bastille slammed a grim into the ground with his gauntleted hand it started to get up but he plunged the blade on his shield into the back of the monster's neck. He looked over and saw a surge of power that was uncanny for a boy the age of Shin. His aura surged out of him like a precisely controlled river, blasting him off the ground and funneling a massive amount of aura and strength into the point of the spear.

 _Whoom!_

With a sound more like an explosion than a stab. The impact of the spear didn't simply pierce the body of the grimm, the blade left a hole the size of a spread out hand in the center of the alpha's chest. A column of black blood and liquefied flesh was launched from the back of the grim and splattered across the floor of the arena. Slow and deep breaths came from Shin as he maintained that stance and recovered his breath, he had actually surprised himself. Bastille looked at the boy who would be his companion for the rest of the mission. _So this is the strength of one of the legends? His aura isn't as strong as mine, but without taking aura into account he's actually way faster than me… incredible._

He reached the room where Tia, Yeira, Edina, Charles, Qester, and a girl by the name of Helena were waiting for them to appear. A few other groups appeared, but nowhere near the number of students that had appeared before the trial started.

Soft applause went through the auditorium the next day as teams were assembled. Principal Deus stood center stage with the new students at her back. "Bastile Unia, Yeira Wenday, Shin Krosis, and Tia Matthias, upon passing your exams and pairing with each other you shall receive the title of Team BYST (Beast), led by Bastille Unia." Bastille smiled knowingly Tia glanced doubtfully out of the corner of her eye at the strange boy. Shin nodded like he had expected this outcome.

"Charles Kingston, Qester Orics, Edina Hiyero, Helena Windsor, upon completion of the trial you shall be known as team CHEQ (Check), led by Charles Kingston." The eyes of Charles widened in surprise

"Me? Why?" Charles whispered as his eyes narrowed, confused. Tia caught his eye and gave him a stoic thumbs-up. He shrugged slightly and played it off deciding to wait a while before beginning to worry. Another group called Team AERW (Arrow) was formed from Aren Green, Esther Chloris, Rowena Candel, and lastly Winston Royard.

"After several trials the past years with the last war of the grimm, I can certainly say this year is going to be interesting, now everyone get to your dorms. You've got new teammates to introduce, and new friends to make." Deus said before everyone started to file out of the auditorium. Bastille suddenly felt strange as he followed the rest of his team. _That woman truly is a lot like the Great and Powerful Oz. In all my missions I've run into someone that goes by Oz, or has Oz in their name, even the parallel worlds I've visited there's an Oz. I think he's some kind of strange entity like me, and all the times I've ran into him he acts almost the exact same way, doing similar things. I wonder where Oz is in this world._

Shin tapped him on the shoulder, startling him back to reality. _Right, social situations, I can't zone out whenever I want like before. I have to be paying attention._ He took the lead and started walking backwards. "Alright squad I need to get fully introduced to everyone so let's find our room first and then we can talk, because I feel like there's a lot of unspoken questions aimed at me." Unaware of the mental responses of his allies they all though the exact same thing in unison.

 _You're damn right!_

Elsewhere…

A tall young woman stood before her subjects who had been kneeling. She started to speak. "I have received orders from Salem, you are to begin recruiting new subjects to our cause. You are to follow _my_ commands in her stead, do you understand?" The huge figure raised his head and started to protest. Vira's eyes flashed red as her semblance triggered. "You will obey me." She could feel the mind of the half-grimm struggle for a brief second before falling under her command.

"Yes milady." The dragon grimm rumbled softly. The other three half-grimm looked up and Vira snared them with her power as well.

"I'm the speaker for the queen, you will listen and obey me as you would Salem herself, understood?"

"Yes, Lady Zaleska." They chorused and stood.

"Search for the strongest huntsmen, huntresses, and other warriors. Take one of these daggers, strike your target when their aura is down, they will be sent to Salem, too weak to fight back and able to be turned into one of our comrades. Search your collection of memories when you were human, use that information to search. Now, go." Vira said turning her back to them and sitting back in the chair in her room. They each grabbed one of the small blades, a matte black that doesn't shine or reflect light. With a flash of reddish-black energy the daggers vanished and flowed down their arms as a tendril of dark energy marking itself on their bodies. So they were able to have access to the deadly implement at any time. The figures left leaving Vira alone in the room, she lit up a candle, it reminded her of her own home back in Atlas. Only everything was a little darker, and less color, grimm could see fine in the dark so they didn't care to put decent lighting in their hideout. Her arm throbbed with pain she pulled her hand up. One of Salem's first successful experiments, a glyph on her right hand spun and rotated and the horrid insect emerged from the palm of her hand. It looked up at her and Vira could hear Salem's voice. The grimm insect began relaying information relating to the next step to push Salem's plan forward. She pulled out the weapon she had fashioned for herself, a vicious scimitar with a crossguard and a thick part near the tip of the weapon to put more weight on each impact of the deadly blade. She ran her fingertips along the flat of the blade. There was still much to do.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Dark things are brewing on the horizon for our heroes, they aren't the only ones moving forward. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't hesitate to leave a review. I'm glad people are reading my story and would like to thank you all for sticking with it so far. Stay awesome!**


	12. Part 3 Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The Manifestation of Anonymity

A man sat on the porch of his country home on Patch Island, he moved here with Ruby's suggestion. The old warrior had lost much in the war against the grimm. RNJR and RWBY had wiped out Salem's pawns, team WTCH. They all did a lot of drinking when they realized Salem was still out there, and now they were back to square one. The poor, tired-looking man was once the Shining Knight Jaune Arc he had an empty metal flask in one hand that was resting on the table, he found himself nodding sleepily in the warm air. The haze of alcohol wasn't particularly thick, leaving him in comfortable fuzz. _The world might end… but today is still pretty nice._

"Hello?" His muscles stiffened, but his eyes were still closed. _I recognize that voice… did I fall asleep? Am I dreaming?_ The image of the red-haired untouchable girl appeared in his mind the long ponytail swaying slightly as she approached him, mimicking the movement of the red sash on her waist pinned in place by her sigil. "Hey, excuse me?" Jaune grunted and his eyes opened groggily, the image of Pyrrha faded. _Pyrrha? Alive?_ "I heard there was a huntsman around here, could you help me with something?" Jaune found caught himself before he could fall out of his chair. _No, it can't be… this woman might just look somewhat like her._ "Sure, it would be my pleasure." He slapped a little bit of sense into himself to wake up a bit more.

"I've lost most of my memory, but you are one of the things I do remember. I can't recall my own name or the name to your face, but I feel like I know you. Do you know… who I am?" Jaune felt very strange and it wasn't the flask either, everything started tilting crazily like he just got hit by a heavyweight boxer right to the jaw. He collapsed into his chair dizzily.

"I'm sorry gimme a sec, I'm a little under the weather right now." _She doesn't know who she is, looks like Pyrrha, she recognizes me._ He stared up at the sky to avoid the distraction of looking at the stranger. "Tell me what you can remember." The woman decided to tell the truth to the man that was present in her shredded memory.

"My first memory was of pain, right in the center of my chest like I got stabbed. But I wasn't dead. Then that witch, Salem had me. She experimented on me. She replaced my blood with liquid from the black pools to try and turn me into something. Eventually I found myself in Vayl with no idea what to do. I need your help, huntsman. Also there's another thing I feel when I recall you. It was an image, of you and I kissing." The old knight felt like his heart was being crushed in a vise. _Ruby said that Pyrrha was gone. She was dead, why the hell is she here?!_

"My name is Jaune Arc, based on what you remember and your appearance. I've seen you before. Many years ago, I knew you as Pyrrha Nikos." He stood up from the chair and gestured for her to follow him. "Come on inside, I need to fill you in on a few things."

The woman pondered as she followed him to his kitchen. _So I was Pyrrha Nikos, my memory is complete enough to remember him somewhat. Why I kissed him. I'm in love with this worn old warrior._ It made sense, she was still mostly human, and humanity is very individualistic and emotional race she wasn't surprised that she felt love for Jaune, especially because her original body had an interest in him.

Jaune sat down and Pyrrha sat across from him, straight-backed and her hands in her lap as she waited for Jaune to start speaking. He pulled out a wineglass, he offered one to Pyrrha, she shook her head silently. He shrugged and poured the small glass for himself. "Based on the information I received from a friend. Someone attacked Beacon Academy, the place where you and I received training. A woman named Cinder Fall followed an assault to gain power by killing a girl inside the school. Under the command of the creature Salem, which is someone you've met, apparently. A friend of mine named Ruby Rose told me you fought her, she shot you, right through the center chest, and you disappeared. Do you have a scar on your chest?"

She hesitated, and with a slight blush she nodded. Jaune's heart thudded at the expression on her face. _Damn it! I can't believe she's alive and right in front of me. But that face! Only Pyrrha could make it. She might not have been dead to begin with._ "Does anything else I've mentioned sound familiar?" Pyrrha nodded.

"I feel like I remember a few of the names: Ruby Rose, Cinder Fall, Beacon Academy. I'm starting to get pictures of their faces now. But now one thing was for sure, I remember why I kissed you before I went to fight Cinder." Jaune's eyes widened as he realized what she would say next. _Oh crap here it comes!_ "It was because I loved you, and I think I still do." Jaune stared down at the table his fingers clenched around his glass. The fragile glass shattered in his hand, his aura protecting him from injury from the sharp fragments. He snorted before leaning back in his chair and laughing helplessly.

"It sure as hell took long enough. Every recording designated for me indicated you wanted to say something more, but holding yourself back at the very last instant, replacing it with something a bit more mundane. I guess it was because of that crush on Wiess huh?"

"Weiss?" Pyrrha asked looking a little confused.

"Yeah, Weiss Schnee: She's beautiful, distant and a flawless image, but had absolutely no interest in me, but I still followed her around like a stupid lost dog. I was so shortsighted I actually asked you for dating tips relating to her." Pyrrha's chair squeaked as it scooted closer to Jaune's edge of the table.

"Well Jaune, I'm here now…" She said leaning closer to Jaune who was looking progressively more enchanted by the beauty of the fully matured Pyrrha. "I want to make up for lost time," She kissed him on the cheek and rested one hand on his cheek, the other on his chest, turning his head to meet her eyes. "Is that okay?" Instead of responding with words Jaune's hand slowly came up around the back of her head and pulled her gently forward into another, deeper kiss. Her eyes widened before slowly drifting shut and softening into the kiss.

The sensation felt strange to Pyrrha, she couldn't recall the feeling of being kissed, her body felt warm. She wanted to be close to him, touch him, get to know everything about him, and experience it all forever. She wondered if that was the feeling of love. She _needed_ him, more of him. She broke this kiss off. It took ten seconds for Jaune to realize that she had stopped. She stood up and pulled his head close so his chin rested against her chest. His cheeks began to glow red at the intimate gesture and the tenderness on Pyrrha's face as she looked down at him, his heart raced at the close proximity to her. "Pyrrha…" He gave a light huff of surprise as she released him suddenly and walked a few paces away from him. She slowly reached up, to her head, the bronze ring holding her hair in a ponytail came off. She smiled suggestively as the ring clattered to the floor, letting her brilliant red hair flow freely. "Wha… Pyrrha?" She shook her head with her hair flowing like a river of fire around her shoulders.

"You can't be as ignorant as I remember, can you? You know what happens next, right?" Jaune was still stunned but immediately began to move as Pyrrha began reaching for the zipper at the back of her bronze-colored top. He darted across the room before she could actually reach it. His lips crashed against hers and her back bumped lightly against the wall. He encased her in his strong arms as the knight pressed her body against his. Jaune broke the kiss and started placing smaller ones down Pyrrha's neck, he spoke between kisses.

"You know, I'm still wondering if I fell asleep on the porch." Pyrrha chuckled prettily as they explored the contours of each other's bodies. Pyrrha gently pushed Jaune back. So they could both catch their breaths. Despite his efforts he was impressed at how much stronger than him the woman was, even after all these years.

"Where's your room?" Pyrrha asked quietly. Jaune felt dazed at the sudden stop and the question. _Yeah, where is my room?_ Jaune let Pyrrha to his room and turned to find that Pyrrha had unzipped her top and it fell to the floor, she swiftly pushed him back onto his bed and climbed on top of him and kissing him heatedly. He saw the strapless bra and the black diamond shaped scar in the center of her cleavage. He pushed her back and traced the scar with his fingers.

"So she really did hit you there? It's a miracle you're alive." Pyrrha held his hand to the scar.

"Yes, before to me my destiny wasn't to become the hero that would save Remnant. My thoughts of you were likely one of the few things that kept me alive. I realized that you're my goal, my destiny." She leaned down and placed kisses along his neck immersing Jaune in her scent.

"I love you Pyrrha." He said in almost a whisper as his arms folded over her back and held her close.

Several hours later Pyrrha woke up, it was dark in the room. Her eyes adjusted instantly to the darkness a slight reddish glow came from behind her eyes as she looked around. She looked over to Jaune. His torso was covered in burn scars. _Cinder… did she do this to him?_ It didn't matter, Pyrrha understood and remembered her orders. She had found a strong warrior to join them. _I want to be with him, forever. There's only one way that's going to happen._ Jaune muttered something in his sleep and rolled so he was flat on his back. Reddish-black energy flowed along Pyrrha's hand and formed into the dark blade.

Jaune was startled awake by a mind shattering pain in his chest. His eyes shot open and panic surged through his body and his aura flashed as it came back online in an attempt to start repairing the damage he was taking. The blade pierced his sternum but stopped short of his backbone. He found his arms pinned beneath the superior strength of Pyrrha as he looked down, before he could attempt to gasp out words she was kissing his mouth. An expression of pained confusion crossed his face as gold sparks flickered off his aura instead of blood flowing from the wound. "I love you, we'll be together soon." Pyrrha said. Jaune and the dagger in his chest flashed orange, and steadily blew away and disappeared in a spray of sparks, leaving no evidence of where he had gone. "I'll be seeing you again, Jaune." Pyrrha whispered to the emptiness of the dark room, as she rolled over where he had been laying a few seconds ago and rested until dawn enjoying the residual warmth.

In the antechamber of Salem's room she sat and waited as she began experimenting to see what she could replicate and turn into a half-grimm. Team RNJR had killed one of the creatures she had crafted herself on their way to Mistral. She wanted to fashion a replacement in its image. A dark glyph formed beneath the cage in her room, a glowing orange figure appeared regaining the color a blonde figure appeared in the cage, coughing noisily and clutching his chest. "Wha-what… the hell? Why?!" The wound in his chest was slowly beginning to heal. He looked around and his gaze fell upon Salem.

"Wow one got caught already?" He still clutched his chest but tried to snarl angrily at the grimm Queen.

"You, you're Salem aren't yo-argh!" He gasped in pain as Salem smiled at the suffering of the familiar figure.

"Yes, I am Salem, you killed my valuable subordinates, now you're here in pain. And I'm going to make you one of my new subjects." Jaune growled in pain and confusion.

"What are you talking about?" She looked at her black nails with a bored expression.

"You either ran into a monster you couldn't beat, or ran into someone you thought was dead, didn't you?" The expression of shock on Jaune's face made the ageless woman's face get a small grin and her red eyes glow with what could only be pleasure.

"Oh… that's right, you knew the girl didn't you? It won't matter for long that you're in such pain being betrayed by the one you loved, but take heart; you aren't going to die either." He actually forgot about the pain in his chest as he started staring blankly at the floor on his knees. _Pyrrha… killed me. Why? How?_ His aura sparked and crackled audibly as he realized, he exploded to his feet and grabbed the bars, aura flowing through his muscles.

"You did something to her you bitch, _I'll kill you_!" Jaune began to bleed faster as his heart began to race with his fury he strained against the bars with his aura. The metal began to groan along with his bones as he strained. Salem's eyes glowed as she frowned, she approached and touched the hand of the knight grasping the bars with her chilling hand. Instantly Jaune felt his strength start to drain like someone had pulled a plug. His aura retreated from his arms, and they started to go numb. Salem absently wiped off her hand on her sleeve.

"Don't get so upset, I'm going to make you something greater than what you are now. Just wait a few moments. You'll certainly see Pyrrha alive once more." She said leaving the room. Jaune grunted in surprise as the floor suddenly dropped out from beneath him. He was dropped into a pit. Dark sludge engulfed him he struggled to swim in it to escape as he headed for the edge there was a cover that quickly cranked into place. He pushed against it as the sludge came alive and started coiling around him, slowly drawing him under. His aura flashed as he struggled and cursed against the dark tendrils. Salem turned her back as the pit beneath the cage closed. The sounds of struggling from below eventually faded she sat down in the antechamber once again and waited for any more visitors.

There were three more scheduled not long from now, she felt a very uncommon level of excitement. Before the infusions were merely random, this was the first time she attempted to mix a creature she had created herself with a human. _Jaune Arc, you're going to become one with the creature that nearly cost your entire team their lives and the precious creation you destroyed. This is actually far easier than my previous plans, dividing humanity works well to weaken them. But with my discovery I can use the unity against a common foe they cherish so much, to be the weapon that ends them all. Like Jaune, all the others will fall into my hands._ "Together, or divided, either way humanity will still die Oz, what will you do when the strongest guardians and heroes of this world turn and start killing their own? There will be no guardians to protect your world, no small and honest soul to turn to when the beasts are released upon Remnant." She got a sense of his response almost like he was sitting across from her and talking in that irritatingly calm voice.

" _I_ won't need to do _anything_ , the cycle of new heroes has already begun, and you won't be able to run from this. There are beings on Remnant that are beyond mere mortals like us, and it would be wise to pray that they don't find you." She frowned and resumed toying with a new creature, she'd been working on it for the past few months, and it wasn't finished yet.

Several hours later there was the sound of rhythmic banging coming from the pit, not a frenzied panicked pounding, just a persistent knock with a substantial amount of force.

 _Slam! Slam! Slam!_

Salem felt satisfaction as she opened the pit again. A figure leaped out of it and scrambled onto the edge, he was caked in the sludge from the pit, it rapidly started to flow off of him as he tensed his shoulders. There were white bony protrusions like a suit of armor all over his body, the helmet was a skull-like appearance with glowing red eyes and a partially wired mouth, the helmet had curved horns that turned towards each other. She felt a note of confusion as she wondered. _Where's the rest of it?_ Suddenly a mass of ooze burst from the pool and landed by the side of the figure, it solidified into a quadruped with a long neck and muzzle, similar in structure to a horse. She felt slight surprise but then felt a smirk of satisfaction. _Beautiful, terrible, powerfull just like before._ She was impressed again when it turned and spoke sharply to her. His voice was deep and carried an unquestionable air of authority and aggression. The being's voice hesitated like it was unaccustomed to speaking.

"Where… is… Pyrrha?"

Bastille, Tia, Yeira, and Shin all met in the dorm room, they had begun unpacking the essentials before Bastille called the first official team meeting. "Alright ladies and gentlemen, I want to get to know you guys as much as you want to know me." Tia scowled suspiciously.

"I feel like you already know an uncomfortable amount about us already." Bastille shrugged with a grin.

"Alright then, I guess I'll start. My name is Bastille Unia, the people here including the headmistress know me as the boy of a thousand feats. My weapon is Gold Horn a sword-slash-shield that I also wield a blaster gauntlet with. My Semblance is an omniskill, able to create over a thousand different effects based on the situation. Have any of you read about me?" Tia made a so-so gesture, but everyone else looked fairly confused. He sighed and explained how he came to this world, how he has a mission, how he had heard of the legends of the other iteration of the world. To avoid undue concern he neatly stepped around the fact that everyone got killed in that previous world, as well as everything going to hell. _They don't need to concern themselves with that possibility yet, because even now things are going differently. It would just dishearten them._ "I'm aware that most of you have had contact with the new threat to our world these hypocritical grimm with aura, or half-grimm is what I started calling them. If you would divulge what you can about these things I can start setting up a plan of action to deal with them in the future." Tia had encountered Bahamut, Shin had encountered a naga, and Yeira had crossed paths with a serquet. After intense consideration Bastille spoke officially. "Alright everyone, for the moment the plan is… to do nothing, we have nothing to build off of. We have my knowledge of the possible future and nothing else, and if we go snooping we'll just put a target on our backs, make the half-grimm aware of our presence and knowledge of their existence. Shin, you had the right idea, I suggest we monitor disappearances of huntsmen and huntresses and look for a pattern. My guess is that they started already getting some of the strongest warriors from the last generation of heroes. Team RWBY, JNPR, others too even a few unlucky huntsmen that had too close of a brush with them. I've got a feeling your friend Betram might be one of the unfortunate few, Shin." Shin's eyes widened and got to his feet and started to narrow with anger.

"You take that back." Bastille looked up at the angry boy.

"Hmm?"

"Betram isn't going to become one of those things! Take it back, now." Bastille stood calmly, keeping his voice level.

"Betram is human, like you and I. In the future I've seen there is nobody able to resist the transformation process used by Salem. It will come down to chance, death is part of life, he either gets converted or he doesn't. But we'd best be watchful when your friend reappears. Ah, I'm reminded of something." Bastille pulled out a fine pin and lightly poked the back of his hand until a tiny bead of red appeared on the surface of his skin.

"The blood of a standard aura-bearing creature is red, while the half-grimm's blood is far darker colored, almost black." After more information was given the rest of team BYST was introduced one at a time and after each introduction they produced a drop of their blood proving they were human. Some of the intensity and suspicion in the air was cleared with relief. Yeira said she didn't know what her Semblance was. Bastille spoke up before he could stop himself. "The legends state you could soar beyond the skies without need of wings, glider, or airship, striking from above with your deadly talon. Maybe that has something to do with your Semblance. It might relate to gravity manipulation, wind control, or something else. Unfortunately that's all I really know, I didn't really meet you three in my previous attempt, and I got killed before I could, sending me here. I'm actually a little star struck right now, sitting among the people who become legends in the future." Bastille said shifting awkwardly. Tia glared at the stupidly smiling Bastille as he stared down at the floor. _What the hell is this guy? Why is he so damn weird? He really is_ human _right?_ Tia felt the odd twitch as she could see Red Dragon appear behind him, looking the boy up and down before shrugging and disappearing.

Bastille lightly slapped his own cheek and brought himself back to focus. "Remember who our enemies are everyone, our foe is different from the White Fang before Blake took over, or even the manipulations of Cinder Fall prior to the attack on Beacon. We are taking on the Queen herself. The one who puppet mastered almost the _entire_ first war on the grim, there's a high chance she'll leave no traces, need no decoys. And with the power to convert humans into these monsters, no need to barter or deceive anyone to get her way." Bastille looked up, everyone noted that he seemed extremely scared, almost to the point of tears. "Honestly, with my memory the history of Remnant, Salem has never had access to more power than right now. I don't want to fail again, I don't want to die and start over. I've already been through hell once-" Shin relaxed and started to be downcast at the pressure of the situation. Bastille shook himself. His scared expression faded and was replaced with a slightly shaky smile. "We've got about twelve years to get ready. So we have to get strong enough and get every advantage possible within that time." The grin became a bit more firm and he started to rub his hands together. "Besides… I've actually got an idea of one thing that'll benefit us, team CHEQ. Salem will be forming an army, when she attacks we'll need more than just a shield to protect us, we need a lance to drive through and take the objective. I feel like BYST and CHEQ will be the keys to making this happen. I've made a friend that is part of CHEQ, Edina Hiyero, she knows who I am but promises to keep it quiet." Tia spoke up.

"You know Edina too? I know I was friends with Charles as well." Shin nodded and also spoke up.

"Yeah, Qester is also a buddy of mine from Sanc…tum." Shin trailed off as a soft chuckle ran through Bastille.

"Heheheee… I knew I made the right decision when I came across you guys. You already have my plan in motion without me. We can form an alliance with team CHEQ easily! Alright then everyone, let's go and find them so we can hang out!" They looked around neighboring rooms, most of them were empty. At last they came to the room marked with CHEQ upon the door. "Ah here we are!" Bastille knocked on the door, the girl he recognized as Helena opened the door. She looked at the white haired boy confused.

"Who are… oh you're Bastille from team BYST, and the rest of your team too." Tia made out Charles' voice call from inside the room.

"Hey Tia, come on in we just finished unpacking! Bring the rest of your friends in too." Bastille's eyes had a slight golden glow of merriment about them. As he felt slightly crowded by the eight people in the room, Bastille was introduced to the other members of team CHEQ.

Qester Orwx: wielder of Gate And Ram; A long-handled flanged mace that also functions as a sharp grabbing claw, working in tandem with a massive angular shield that was collapsible and could be carried on his back. It had a grille so he could hold it in front of him and see through without exposing his head to possible injury, he called his Semblance Siege Engine, when he's moving forward and the semblance is active he becomes an unstoppable moving object as long as he had a durable front he can act like a living battering ram. Elena Windsor, wielder of Queen's Gambit, a combination of dust casting staff and spear. She can cast complex dust magic over extreme distance, or strike with the spear in melee range. Her semblance is Spectre Caster, she's able to be in a handful of locations at once, but the power only works within a few dozen feet of her though. Charles Kingston wields the King's Cross: A dagger and straight sword that when they're combined transforms into a thin-bladed great sword. "I don't know my own Semblance, the only thing I'm really good at besides close skirmishing is board games. Dunno why I'm the leader, actually." Tia nodded and commented to Shin.

"Charles plays a savage game of chess. His strategy game is on point, so that might be a reason he's the leader." Charles shrugged in response as he heard Tia speak.

"Sure strategy is my strongest suit, but I need to work on my Semblance if I'm going to be of any proper use, I've never been able to build much muscle so I was always struggling in any direct confrontation. I've been forced to plan ahead and think my way through almost every fight." Shin nodded at the lean leader.

"I'm the same way, I got trained by a huntsman though so I had a little bit of extra power, but even then I was no match for some of the people I had to fight. I would sometimes set traps and prearrange a battlefield to meet my enemies where the odds of victory are highest."

"Really? Where'd you grow up?" Charles asked. Shin put his hands in his pockets as conversations started up all around the room.

"Near the outskirts of Haven, in the slums. How about you?"

"A farm a short distance outside the city of Vayl Kingdom, I came across here when I finished Signal, I barely scraped by I still don't know why they let me in." Shin walked over to him to get out of Tia's way and sat down across from him with a short gap between the pair.

"It's likely because they could pick up on potential. Hell, I was holding back on all the sparring practices ever since Sanctum and they still sent me through, I deliberately made myself appear weaker while I was playing my opponent like a fiddle. I tricked my enemies, but I doubt I deceived the teachers. And I doubt you did either, you're not impressive right now but there will be something special about you, you might not even know it yet."

"You may be right Shin." Charles said. Qester started holding a conversation with Bastille.

"Shin mentioned an odd white-haired stalker that approached him once before vanishing and never appearing again. Who knew that was you?" Bastille was indignant and protested that accusation.

"What?! I'm not a stalker, I was just scouting out possible members for the team I was planning on forming." Qester glanced at him with one eye closed.

"Planned? But the partners were selected at random, how do you plan around that?" Internally Bastille berated himself. _Shit! I'm an idiot, I shouldn't have said 'plan', think, think, think!_

"Oh, plan for groups I want, those who compliment my fighting style is what I meant. I can concoct different fighting and maneuver patterns based on the styles and strategies of my allies, despite my age I have tons of fighting experience, and can adapt to most squads." Bastille smiled and hugged his shoulders, acting the fool to disperse the suspicion directed at him. "Being on team BYST is a dream come true for me! They synergize with my power perfectly!" Qester shrugged at the odd boy's antics. Aware that the focus of Qester changed Bastille took advantage to question the towering shield guardian.

"So, how do you know Shin?"

"Well, before I joined Sanctum I got training by an Arc, the son of one of Jaune Arc's seven older sisters. He taught me how to read an opponent, during sparring I could tell that Shin was holding back in all his fights, letting himself get hit and barely recovering before counterattacking and defeating his opponent. I asked him about it one lunch period and he got upset," Orwx looked distant as he pondered aloud.

"I still don't know why he was holding back, but honestly I don't care, his reasons are his own. I'm not one to pry, besides he if I wanted to be forgiven he asked me to be his friend, so I kinda grew into the role, I can tell he holds back less around me." Bastille pocketed that savory little bit of information for later. _He holds back whenever he can afford to, as well as when he's around people he doesn't trust._ Qester took a sharp breath. "Oh crap, I think I've said too much." Shin's voice chimed in.

"It's no big deal Qester, I'm going to be working with that guy all four years he's going to find out my trick eventually." The tall boy sighed in relief Bastille made a mental note. _He's an incredibly honest kid, pretty cool… but I would be worried if I asked him to keep a secret._

The two groups talked until late into the afternoon, since it was merely the first day and everyone was busy with moving in there weren't any classes today. As the sun started to set they separated and went to their own dorms. A new day was ending.


	13. Part 3 Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Unstable and Treacherous Footing

A few weeks into the semester there was a visitor, someone who wasn't a teacher, or a student. An old man by the name of Merlan, the teachers from Haven seemed to ignore him mostly; he seemed to just be hanging out in the library most of the time. Someone tried to approach him but stopped and turned around before reaching the gray old man seeming to forget why they were approaching him. Bastille got an odd feeling coming off of Merlan. As Bastille approached he detected some kind of resistance, like a type of odd barrier. "You're different aren't you?" He heard the old man say without looking up from his book. Ignoring the instant guess for something else Bastille introduced himself. "So that's your name? I can see your power, you are versatile, adaptive, yet chaotic, you change based on the situation you are placed within, yet you have a very strong individuality." Bastille tilted his head nonplussed.

"What?"

"Your semblance is something that should be impossible. Being able to teleport to parallel dimensions? What the hell are you?" The old man grumbled aloud. The impact of what Bastille just heard hit him.

" _What?!_ " The old man looked with a scrunched-up face at Bastille.

"SSSSHHHH!" Bastille flinched at the sudden snap of the old man who seemed so calm and collected before.

"Oops, sorry, how did you guess my semblance?" The old man's glare faded as he turned to look back at his book.

"It's part of my power, the teachers sometimes call me or my niece Morgin in to help students discover their Semblances, I can give them the knowledge to access their power as well, I've been helping out everywhere as long as I've been able to wield my Semblance for pay. Mistral, Vacuo, Atlas, Vayl… all the main kingdoms, even stopping on a road with a struggling young huntsman to unlock their full power." Bastille questioned the old man a little further.

"So some of the students have Semblances that need release?"

"Of course they do kid, some of them just had their auras unlocked maybe a few months ago. With my power I'm aware that some Semblances are incredibly complex, and requiring a very specific trigger. I've heard of huntsmen that have gone their entire lives without finding out their Semblance, it was almost that way with Jaune Arc until he discovered it in a one-on-one clash with Cinder Fall, even then he was out of practice with it and damn near died." Bastille nodded at the interesting role of Merlan.

"Well, if you're here, I've got a few friends that could use your help." Merlan creaked his way to a standing position.

"Well I ain't doing much else right now, where be they?" The two teams luckily had an open hour around the same time. He got Merlan to BYST and CHEQ to help them.

"Hey guys! I found this guy who says he can identify Semblances. Charles, Yeira, you're having some trouble with your Semblances right?" Merlan paused at the entrance to the room all the conversations ground to a halt as they looked at the old timer. Immediately he began to mutter audibly as his gaze passed across each member.

"Such burning passion and fury all merged together into something new in the crucible of trauma. A cunning and deceptive fighter forced to use trickery to win in battle. A gentle giant willing to leap in and aid allies and crush those who stand in their path, the embodiment of both defender and vanguard. A kind heart able to give gentle words and encouragement to empower her friends hand herself. Strong individual woman who seems to be drawn to power, wanting to do everything at once. You have all accessed your Semblances. But you two, a wise and just young man with a penchant for leadership and strategy, yet forced into those roles… A girl, not burdened by arrogance, anger, or guilt, but a feeling of being not weighed down by anything. Give unto me your names, then step forward and I shall grant you the key knowledge to your Semblance." Charles stepped forward without hesitation.

"Charles Kingston." Yeira looked around nervously at the pressure, Bastille appeared by her side and gently nudged the shorter girl forward, taking a breath the girl spoke her name clearly.

"Yeira Wenday." The old man nodded.

"Very well, relax and let the knowledge pour into you!" He placed his hands on the two trainee's heads and his aura sparked as Merlan's Semblance triggered. The pair glowed as foreign voices spoke what they needed to know.

Charles heard a chant almost like the technique used for unlocking aura. "For it is together that we shall never fall, in the name of the King we will prevail, united in will in mind, injustice will fail." The tone of voice changed so it was no longer a chant. "Gather your trusted allies and you shall experience true unity in battle, speak the words to assemble your court."

Yeira heard a voice too. "You must concentrate on the freedom you feel, the freedom of floating through the air, weightless. Then you'll find that you actually do weigh nothing."

Merlan turned to leave the room when the voice of Charles ran out sharply. "Hey! I recognize you, you actually stopped by my house you old wizard. Did you tell them I had the potential for this power, so I could be let in to Haven?" The old timer's shoulders shook slightly with a chuckle as he paused.

"No, I only told them that you're a good kid and a strong leader. Those were the exact words and nothing more. The power that you used to get in showed enough potential for growth that they let you in anyway, it was all you, good luck." Merlan said before leaving the room. There was no record of when he left, nobody saw him leave the building, it was almost like he had vanished into thin air.

Elsewhere…

A woman in a thin red dress approached, the dress was cut for fighting with a slight split around her legs and shorts underneath. The village was far away from any of the cities in Vayl, curved sword on her left side and a heavy caliber pistol at the right side of her hip. A thin black jacket covered her shoulders, it was warm but there was a chilly breeze from the north. Vira stuck to the plan the village was so small one of the half-grimm weren't even needed, and as the field marshal of the half-grimm she decided to take this place down herself. _With my power I know exactly what I need to say, I might need to feed off of some of them, my Semblance takes a decent amount of aura to use._ She mentally checked the amount of aura she currently had, enough to trigger it a few times, her control is like a pulse she activates it and those who meet her eyes while the power is active falls under her spell. She hadn't found a limit to what she can make people do yet, now was a good test.

There was a strong fighter in this town, he wasn't a huntsman, but still above average. She tracked him to his house and then knocked on his door. A woman opened the door, probably the wife of the fighter. She introduced herself as a patrolling huntress and asked if the entire family could be gathered for important news. There was a teenaged girl and a boy of pre-teen age. The family was all gathered in the living room inside the woman's line of sight. Her eyes flashed red and made eye contact with everyone. "You will not move or speak unless I say." Everyone nodded silently, becoming unmoving. She approached the man who was supposed to be the strongest fighter. _Now the first test._ "Kill your wife." She picked up a small amount of struggling but eventually he turned and grabbed the woman by the neck. Still under Vira's command the woman didn't move or struggle but started making gasping noises as her windpipe was squeezed shut. The eyes of the children grew wide with fear and even started to tear up as the tremors that went through their mother as the husband was strangling her began to become less and less. The husband eventually released the neck of the wife and she slumped back, dead with deep bruises on her throat. They didn't scream but their breathing became heavy from terror at not being able to move. The man's face was locked into a silent furious expression. She ordered everyone to stay in the room. She went to the kitchen and got a knife. _My control seems finite, I can tell that if they never give up attempting to resist me he would be able to shake my control eventually. I need to watch what I say, and have one of my orders be that they are loyal to me. That would be how I counter resistance._ Vira returned and set the knife on the table, she directed her focus on the girl. "Kill yourself with that knife."

Within two minutes the girl was bleeding out on the couch with the blade buried in her chest. Vira was beginning to feel tired, her aura was draining a little bit. The sigil on the palm of her right hand started to move. She approached the petrified boy, she could smell the life energy coming off of him, the youth made his aura fresh and strong, especially because it wasn't unlocked yet. She raised her hand towards the immobile child's face. On his face was the expression being the embodiment of stark maddening terror. The grimm insect stuck its head out from the palm of her hand, black webbing was produced and splatted against the face of the child. His voice hissed in muted screams as an invisible wind started to blow around the two figures. The boy grew paler and his face grew slack, his wide eyes rolled back into his head as the draining process finally ended. The remains of the boy was merely skin and bones with a face contorted in fear and pain. _I can force murder and suicide with my power, well now I've got the big tests done let's run a few variants, make the orders a little more complex._

She did a similar process, training her Semblance and testing the limitations of it. "You will kill yourself, five minutes from now. You will go next door and kill your neighbor." Soon enough everyone was wondering what was happening.

"Admit that you're weak and powerless." There was no hesitation in her target parroting her words. "You are frail and weak." Her words and phrasing did much to influence the effect she had on her targets. Making them say things was easy, but she could feel a little bit of resistance if she ordered them to feel something, or make them believe something. She couldn't do anything to increase her hold on someone she already used her ability on. She would be concerned with being forced into direct combat against strong-willed enemies, with her condition her stamina in a drawn out fight is weak. She could feel the life pulse through her body along with her blood. _Hmmm… I wonder._ She concentrated, she accelerated her breathing, her heart rate sped up to follow the intake of oxygen. She stared at her hand, she could feel the life pulse start to move faster, her hand grew pale and the veins started to change color. Everything slowed down as she perception of time changed, she slowly moved her hand in a soft brush against one of the solid walls of a building.

 _Krunch!_

The wall cracked and dust shot from the suddenly appearing crevasses. _Wow, I think when I'm like this I'm even stronger than if I was striking with my aura, faster too if my eyes aren't deceiving me._ Numbness started to creep into the tips of her fingers and she quickly relaxed herself, the color returned to her skin and hair. _I guess I also exhaust myself quicker if I do that for too long._ She clapped her hands to get some feeling back into them as some of the buildings caught fire under Vira's order, the flames spread to nearby homes people were moving about killing each other and themselves on Vira's command as well. She walked off with the man following her to the treeline. Reddish black energy flowed down her arm and deployed the dagger Salem gave her. "Tell me your name sir." The man's voice seethed with fury, but Vira took careful note that there was no spontaneous aura release to cause trouble for her.

"Leo Ren, I don't know what you did to me but I swear-"

"Stop talking." She ordered sharply. _Ren hmm? Black hair, bluish green eyes, this guy… he somewhat matches the guy from team RNJR! Especially with the last name of Ren, maybe he's his son or something._ She called out to Salem through the grimm symbiote. "Hey sis." The voice of her sister replied with hint of surprise.

"What? I said we were like sisters, not actual sisters. So would you not address me like that?" The insect reached out and bit sharply on the tip of Vira's finger indicating the anger Salem was feeling. Vira flinched and spoke.

"Ow! Okay, sorry Sal I've came across a guy by the name of Ren, black hair, bluish green eyes like sea foam. Does he sound familiar to you?"

"Where is he? Let me see him." Vira held her hand out to the man, the parasite insect looked around until it focused on the disgusted Leo. Salem felt animosity flow as she was reminded by that disgustingly bubbly girl and that stoically silent boy. _As much as I want him dead, he could be useful._

"Orders, Sal?" Salem flinched at the familiarity Vira addressed her with, but the foolish girl refused to call her anything formal, and a mere title isn't exactly enough to kill someone, she was beyond such things… but this girl was starting to walk the line.

"Send him in." Vira turned to Leo with the short knife at the ready.

"Sure thing," The blade flashed leaving a cut to the cheek of the strong man, he flinched in pain before flashing into orange cinders and blowing away, the knife disappeared too. "done, is he there now?"

"Yes, thank you Vira."

"Zaleska, out!" The insect retreated into her hand again and she headed for Vayl, smiling. _I'm tired, it's been a busy day I bet I can get someone to feed off of tomorrow, maybe even tonight. I want to experiment with my Semblance a bit more._

"Alright everyone, up next is a test in observation, patience, and reflexes. The ground down there is the territory of a group of tunneling grimm, their constant churning of the ground actually revitalizes the soil to a degree. The rise over there holds an herb that can be used in aura reinforcement, there's always missions asking huntsmen and huntresses for these plants because of their power. These grimm don't leave the ground all that often, but they use their power of tunneling to collapse the ground beneath someone's feet, or flank and attack from multiple angles." Professor Agletes said before outlining the mission. They were to sneak across the lowlands, not get caught by the tunneling grimm, retrieve a plant and bring it back. She had all the teams draw lots to see who would go first. A team in their second year was sent on this errand: Team DHRK (dark) they looked around, eyeballing the position of the shadows and the sun. It was late in the afternoon, almost evening. The cliff cast long shadows towards where the aura herb was growing. "Alright Ken you're up." The boy who seemed to be the leader spoke up. The boy nodded wordlessly, he walked up to the edge of the cliff. He had a pair of short daggers crossed along his back, but he made no move to draw them as he appeared to walk straight off the edge. The first year students either all gasped or jumped in surprise.

The leader of team DHRK who goes by Damien, turned and shook his head. "Before you wet yourselves this is part of Ken's power, he can move about and follow shadows, becoming invisible and losing all his mass in the process. In short he becomes one with shadow." Everyone went to the edge of the cliff and looked down, part of the shadows down below broke away and transformed into Ken. He tiptoed over to the plants and scooped out the dirt around one and placed it in a small pot that the professor had given him. The ground started to shift and move towards him as grimm started to tunnel towards Ken. He turned calmly and stepped on the shadows again and vanished. A moment later a hand appeared on the cliff Damien reached down and helped up his teammate. They bumped fists as they walked back to the lineup of their team. "Sick moves dude, they barely noticed you."

Team BYST was next Bastille circled up and they discussed their plan. "We don't have anyone specific for a task like this so we need to go as a team, I can't reach it with my power, Yeira's claw can't reach it, and the rest of us would have to cross the lowlands ourselves to reach it, or get back." Shin nodded in agreement.

"That's right, but I've got an idea. I can leave a trickster's mark up at the top of the cliff, I run distraction, stomping around and making a lot of noise, while you guys make a beeline for the plants and grab one. My mark only stays for maybe a minute or two, so I'll be forced to teleport back before you guys can make it back here. Any ideas?" Tia spoke up.

"I can launch a wave of fire to clear a path and drive the grimm underground again, the reach on Yeira's weapon would be able to hold off any who try to get behind us. I've heard of these kinds of grimm before." They all nodded in agreement of the plan.

Standing at the edge of the cliff, a small mark appeared on the ground beneath the feet of Shin. A similar one appearing on the javelin in his hand, he hurled the weapon as far as he could into the lowlands. It thudded into the ground, after a brief delay Shin teleported to where the spear landed. He waved the weapon in the air in signal to his allies, he produced a silver whistle from one of his pockets and took a deep breath and blew into it as hard as he could producing piercing tone, the ground shifted as the grimm started tunneling towards him. Both of the light solid-metal javelins entered his hands in opposite grips. Yeira, Tia, and Bastille all descended the hill using their landing strategies from training. This time Bastille used his shield to airsurf to the terrain and spread out the impact of his landing. Stepping on the edge of the shield Bastille flipped it back into his hand. "Remember guys, quickly and quietly." He cast out for something relevant to the situation with his power. _Ability Online: Killshot_. Confused at the choice of effect he dug for data on the power. ' _A beam of energy that stays in existence for only a single millisecond, the width of the beam is the caster's fist, organic material caught in the beam is erased, the beam will stop after striking inorganic material. Aim carefully to instantly kill a target.' Why did it roll something like that? I'm getting a very bad feeling._

Shin braced for attack, keeping sigils on the twin spears. He saw the group moving along, he had set a mental clock. _Ninety seconds until the mark on the ground disappears._ Thin, snake like creatures whose skull plates had a spiral of grooves on them burst from the ground around him. The length of these were slightly shorter than him, they had short legs with thick digging claws. _Tremor Worms: They tunnel using their oddly shaped skulls and digging claws, their primary attack is a front lunge as they spin their bodies, when they spin themselves they can dig at incredible speeds, allowing them to attack relentlessly, especially because they primarily hunt in groups._ Shin's eyes roamed about, hunting for the first sign of movement of the creatures around him, the ground beneath his feet trembled with the movement of other tremor worms. Near him, coming in from his blindspot a grimm came rushing at him churning a bow wave of earth, he heard the attack coming and whirled around, barely parrying the lunge, the javelin in one of his hands vibrated painfully as the horn drill ground and sparked off the weapon. He buried his second spear in the side of the grimm as it dived into the ground again. He could see the disturbed portion of ground churn away, a bit slower than before. Shin recalled his weapon and got ready to meet the next attacker.

He pivoted on one foot as he redirected the lunges of two of the grimm, he parried and thrust at the ground in an attempt at warding the group off. He turned at the exact time one lunged and had a braced position, the point of the spear met the drill point of the tremor worm. Shin's aura flashed as he halted the momentum of the worm for an instant. He forced the drill upwards, the creature lost momentum and thudded to the ground, he dropped one of his spears and hooked the haft of his weapon around the creature's neck. Shin wrestled the creature to the floor and recalling his other weapon he drove the spear point into his opponent's head. He flipped sideways to avoid a pair of Tremor Worms, they collided with each other head-on and fell to the ground stunned. He hurled his two weapons, pinning the pair of grimms to the ground, more movement was heard behind him, he unlimbered the heavy spear, he ducked beneath the lunge and drilling horn of a third creature. He gritted his teeth as the rapidly spinning creature shredded itself on the thick blade of the spear. _I'm glad my job isn't to kill all of these things. I won't be able to hold this pace for long. Concentrate… breathe._

The trio went at a moderate jog while Shin was distracting the grimm. "Stick together, watch for pitfalls, this ground is riddled with tunnels making a deadly maze." One of the creatures burst from the ground in front of them Bastille met the horn drill head on with his own Gold Horn. Bastille's aura hardened his shield as sparks flew from the contact. His blaster gauntet came around and blew the head off the creature in a spray of black blood. He motioned the rest of them to move faster. Yeira spotted the ground shift, she dodged to the right and snagged the creature using the claw of Leaping Talon like a trident for fishing. Pinning it to the ground with her foot she stove in the creature's head with the cudgel weight on her weapon, resulting in a very satisfying crunch. The ground cracked beneath Tia's feet and she almost plunged up to her shoulders into the tunnel system. Bastille's hand shot down and grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her out of the hole just before another Tremor Worm passed by the cave in. Bastille checked the scroll monitoring his squad's aura levels. Shin was running awfully low on aura, just by using his semblance he was down to the yellow.

They managed to get to the plant and harvest it and began running back to the cliffs, he waved to draw Shin's attention and point to the cliffs. Shin nodded as he was distracted a worm far larger than the others burst from the ground, this one was big enough to pull him underground. Without thinking and before even Shin could tell what he was doing Bastille fired the killshot ability. The beam of black crossed the gap in an instant, barely missing his ally, half of the creature just disappeared without a sound. It thudded to the ground like a beached fish Shin teleported to the trickster's mark at the top of the cliffs. The ground became very shifty as several Tremor Worms approached from the front and back. Tia gathered a ball of flame between her hands, spreading them apart and gesturing at the ground.

 _FWWWOOOM!_

A wave of flames washed across the surface, burning a trail back to the cliffs, the grimm parted to avoid being charred by the blaze everyone took off at a sprint for the last hundred feet. Yeira fired her claw to the top of the cliff and grabbed on, catching bastille around his shoulders with one arm, Tia wound up and launched two jets of flame from her feet, propelling herself to the top of the cliff while riding a small explosion. They all reached the top, Bastille looked at Shin, surprised at the boy whose face was red and was sweating profusely surprised that he wasn't producing gouts of steam like an overheated engine. His entire body shifted with each gasping breaths. Bastille leaned down, concerned for his ally. "You're incredible Shin! I would have trouble keeping up with those things." Shin's aura sparked as it began to recover his stamina and his breath.

"Yeah, except for that last one, thanks for saving me Bastille." Team BYST relaxed knowing the mission had been completed. The ground had gone deathly still behind them. Charles got a very bad feeling, his team was up next. They circled up and also started planning.

"I'm getting a very funny feeling about this. I think we need to do what we've been practicing for a while." Helena looked doubtful but agreed.

"This would be the first time we used it in a combat environment. I seriously hope the link holds up." The mind of Charles started grinding out different strategies. Eventually he decided on one as the sun started to approach the horizon.

A circle of gold light formed around past the forehead around the head of Charles protrusions like crosses straight up made the light look like a crown. "Just like before guys, for it is together that we shall never fall…" The rest of his team took a knee, some of them slower than others as they replied simultaneously.

"In the name of the King we will prevail" Charles was giving off a massive presence of unquestionable authority, so much he seemed to grow to a more substantial visage as he spoke, alternating lines with the rest of his team.

"United in will in mind…"

"Injustice will fail." Golden bars of light linked the group before disappearing. Elena seemed to be blushing.

"I don't know why Kingston is the only one allowed to stand during that." She muttered under her breath.

They dropped down the cliff and landed sharply. They took off at a sprint as tunneling shapes started burrowing towards them. They skidded to a stop as the moving bumps on the ground disappeared just before impact.

"Circle up!" Charles barked, light flashed around his ears, flickering in the shape of the crown. Everyone spaced themselves out in close diamond formation. The ground beneath them suddenly erupted and seven of the Tremor Worms appeared. The link between everyone flashed, relaying sensory information from one to another. They all managed to repel the first wave of attacks, then the worms suddenly switched targets. They slithered quickly along the surface and sought the four fighters with their drilling horns. Charles used both his blades to parry the horn. He felt himself getting pushed back as the entire weight of the creature shoved against him. Instantly a backswing from Qester's mace demolished the head of the creature in a spray of black blood as the castle fighter shoved back another creature with his shield. The front swing met the grimm head on as it lunged again, leaving basically nothing left.

Edina pegged one in the open mouth with Silver Bishop in pistol form. Helena stabbed one in the side and barely turned in time to see another lunge at her, her weapon was still stuck inside her previous target, her hand was out of position to change the form of the weapon she was wide open for a free strike. A gold thread of light flashed between Edina and Helena, the markswoman brought her weapon up so it pointed behind her and fired. Striking the attacking grimm perfectly. It reeled back from the force of the blast, buying Helena enough time to pull her weapon free and finish off the injured Tremor Worm.

Bastille's snowy eyebrows almost merged with his hairline. _What the hell is this? It's like they're reading each other's thoughts in the midst of a fight, without even losing concentration on the task at hand. I've never seen a Semblance to anything like this before. Did they really only meet each other a month ago? I've seen units of huntsmen fight like this after working together for years and never going on individual missions, how come a single Semblance allows such progress almost instantly? I guess it's balanced because if his aura breaks the system collapses most likely, and also his physical prowess isn't that great, he got pushed back by a single worm._ Any doubts relating to the second unit being part of Bastille's elite strike force were certainly out of the question with this little display. They brought back the herb in under a few minutes.

"Well done class, you've shown great skill in this, improvising and planning ahead and persisting even if the plan fails. Showing either great faith in an individual or impeccable teamwork all of the teams achieved the objective more or less, all of your teamwork was great, all that was really wrong was a few moments where technique faltered. But I'm not going to grill you on it, that's Erios' job." That got a chuckle from the class. "Alright let's get back to Haven everyone." Professor Agletes smiled, she took a running stance and her Semblance activated, warm flames of orange light shrouded her as her body started shining like a star. She became just a streak of blinding light leaving a glowing trail in her wake. Bastille stepped up, he touched the trail and disappeared in a flash. Everyone else was warped as soon as they made contact with the trail. They found themselves at the front gate of Haven in an instant. "Alright class you're dismissed. Have a nice evening"


	14. Part 3 Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The Messenger

Hirmes dashed along the open ground in the direction of Verin, there was some suspicion from the preliminary scouting from Professor Agletes' half-brother Arthur "Arty" Dian. Hirmes was the greatest scout and intelligence gatherer. _Dian has the right idea, but he lacks the deductive reasoning I do._ He thought proudly as his legs pumped effortlessly tearing chunks out of the ground and the howls of the wind as each stride covered large distances like he had springs on his feet. He leaped over the wall, his staff he carried along one shoulder came up and extended, dust energy started swirling around it in two streams before meeting at the top. He pointed the staff around suspiciously at any sudden movements. The streams of energy faded and he took the weapon in both hands as he confirmed that he hadn't been spotted by any of the grimm. _Let's see what we've got here._

He leaped to the top of a building and dropped down through a big hole smashed in the roof. Whatever had stove in the ceiling had left a myriad of cracks in the walls to observe the surrounding area with. After killing the Beringel that had been resting inside the destroyed house he started to look around with his new vantage point. The town had been attacked and then the large herd of grimm had left, the town was now one of dozens of ruins on the face of Anima. _There's a chance of maybe one group of Beowolves in this place, nothing incredible though. There might be a few small Nevermores hiding out in the buildings, little more than vermin. If I clear these guys out there's low chance more will come looking for me. I suppose I should get started then. Let's head for the security center first._

He blurred along the ground, surpassing the speed of almost any land vehicle. The security building was coming up fast his aura shifted to his feet as he skidded to a stop to prevent the tracks on his shoes from burning away. He could already smell the reek of death coming from inside the building. He braced himself, the building had taken some damage in the grimm attack so the door was bent and warped, he booted the door open and held his staff at the ready. No movement in the area, he took a few steps into the entryway, he saw one soldier covered in flies, looking carefully Hirmes noticed that it wasn't killed by a grimm, a spear straight through the sternum, the angle was slightly off indicating that the weapon was thrown. There was a slight dent in the floor about the size of a footprint. "They jumped?" Looking closely the guard also had his neck broken. _They kicked him as they drew the spear out, with enough force to break his neck, only a huntsman or some other aura wielder can pull off quick strength like that… but what kind of person would sabotage the defenses of a town with no tactical benefit? Could it be war? Someone cutting out the resources produced from outlying towns?_ He examined the footprint suspiciously when he noticed something odd. _Heels? Either that or spiked shoes. Odds are in place for the former, and in most cases only women fight in heels. So a woman, fighting with a spear and heels rolled in and started killing these guys._ He trudged through past the bodies of people, he stopped to examine the gut wound of one of the soldiers. _This injury has a strange curve to it, not a stab from the spear, something organic, the area of the strike zone is far more decayed than the rest of the body, poison. Could the woman be a scorpion faunus? Like Tyrian from team WTCH?_

He blanched as some of the more prominent records of the sociopath played through his mind. _He managed to injure Qrow Branwen as team RNJR was on their way to Mistral. If that monster had a kid nobody knew about, and if they're working for Salem too we're in trouble. She might be setting up for moves again._ He pulled out his scroll and started sending a message back to headquarters encompassing the situation and the high potential of danger. He searched around, there was a pattern in the dried blood. _Someone laid here… a child, not dead, but slipped and landed in this pool of blood. I don't see any other tracks near them though. Jeez, a kid seeing stuff like this._ He saw the controls of the automated defenses rammed through by a bladed weapon likely the spear he had suspected before. There were burned and melted parts of the control panel as shorted circuits had set fire to the inside of the system. He looked around and spotted no extra evidence. Just more corpses, either killed by spear or venomous stinger. He left the building, he suddenly got a strong sense of danger. There was a loud screech from above, similar to a Nevermore. He whirled and spun his staff parrying a sharp quill from a bird-like creature that was high up, he couldn't make out exactly what it was, it looked somewhat like a Nevermore. It screeched and several more feathers were hurled down at him.

"Goddammit stop!" He barked, frustrated at the figure high above as he easily blocked more feathers. _I don't have time for this, that thing's going to draw every grimm in town to me. It's about time to bail anyway._ Dust energy spooled out from the end of his staff in twin ropes, he swung the staff slowly as the tendrils extended. He shot out the head of the staff sharply. The bluish energy sparked, then cracked like a whip stretching out to incredible distance and sniping the bird creature out of the sky, the squawk of pain was audible from that range. But instead of crashing to the ground the creature veered sharply and flapped off dizzily. _Wow, that thing must be armored pretty well if it can fly after a crack like that. From that look it seems to be another custom made grimm… but even then it's so close to the city, did Salem leave it here to scout and monitor the place after it got wiped out? Aircraft haven't gone missing, so that's not the bird's purpose either. Hmmm… another interesting detail for the report, although with unsettling implications._ Aura swirled around him to prevent him from falling flat on his face as he took off at a sprint that left his upper body almost parallel with the ground. A pace he could easily sustain all the way back to Haven.

A sudden explosion of air pressure sent Shin flying back, his hand shot out and aura flooded his arm as he caught himself before landing heavily on his rear. _Ouch, what the hell?_ He got up and looked around and saw the blue and gold blur moving towards the building. _What… who? The air pressure!_ He got up and dusted himself off grumbling about people not watching where they were going, he went to the hallway following the figure and it looked like a windstorm had blown through, all the students in the hall were either holding on to parts of clothes blowing around or recovering from being swept off their feet. His eyes picked out Qester, he was still standing upright despite the sudden gale, he looked surprised but otherwise unaffected. _Of course, the guy's a walking refrigerator a little wind wouldn't be enough to knock him down. I wish I could be that fast, I wouldn't need to use my Semblance so much._ He felt the trickster's mark linking him to the dorm start to fade. _It's lasting longer now, I can hold it for about six minutes._ Qester started approaching him just as he triggered it and teleported away, leaving a very confused knight behind scratching his head at the sudden disappearance of his friend.

Tia was lying on her bed staring up at the fiery Yang poster she had stuck to the ceiling above her bed she almost jumped out of her skin at the blur of movement from Shin teleporting back to the room. "AAahhh!" Shin jumped at the sudden shout, expecting the room to be empty for a while longer.

"Jeez, Tia you scared me!" Her ears heated as she barked back at the trickster.

"You say that but _you_ were the one who warped out of nowhere right in front of me!" Shin shrugged, the tricksters mark flashing on the palm of one of his hands.

"Sorry, I was just practicing my Semblance, I need to make it last longer for quick retreats. I set a mark here, nobody was in the room when I placed it I didn't exactly expect you to be waiting for me to return." The brown haired boy left another miniature mark on the floor as he left the room he turned addressed Tia.

"I'm going to warp back here in a little bit, don't attack me or anything okay?"

Throughout the day Shin teleported to the dorm multiple times, often startling his other teammates with his sudden appearance, Yeira was getting ready for a bath she hurled a textbook at him, forcing him to dodge and sprint out of the room. Bastille had a very violent reflex, he almost blasted Shin with his energy gauntlet, his eyes didn't have their slight glow like they usually did, his face was also devoid of emotion, almost like a machine. Shin was terrified for an instant. Then Bastille relaxed and lowered the weapon. Not speaking Shin left the room carefully without turning his back to Bastille. "Sorry for the scare!" Bastille called to his partner as Shin left wordlessly. He walked a fair distance away from the room and started to gasp in air as he let himself feel the impact of the menace coming from Bastille. _Holy, shit! He's terrifying when he wants to be… but he's so cool the rest of the time. What's up with this guy? That's a killer instinct I've never seen before, even from Tia during one of her slips._ He managed to recover his breath and grunted in confirmation. _I'm not allowed to be afraid of my own teammates, I'm going to ask him what that was about right now._ He straightened up and marched back into the room. "Hey Bastille." The extra dimensional traveler was kneading his eyes with a shameful blush.

"I'm so sorry Shin, I didn't mean to threaten you okay? It was just you startled me." This was the most upset Shin had ever seen his partner. He sat down across from him and asked.

"What happened that made you have a reflex like that?" Bastille spoke to the floor and avoided the eyes of Shin.

"You're aware of my true identity, yes? I have been to countless other worlds, and fought nigh infinite battles. My instincts have been honed to beyond a razor's edge. There were times when my mission was to wipe out life on the world, be a force of Armageddon, the memories of what I did were converted to data, but the several hundred times I've been a god of destruction and a hero that struggles against massive odds my instinct been set to kill. I have to actively resist to allow myself to participate in certain social situations, to make friends, but when I relax my guard subconsciously I'm certain I will be attacked so my killer instinct built up over millions of lifetimes prepares to react to any threat instantly with lethal force. I let my guard down and you popped into the room so suddenly I was ready to kill you." Bastille sighed and rested his head on his hands. "A team leader shouldn't be so prepared to terminate his allies. I'm starting to doubt my position." Shin shook his head silently before responding.

"So what? You're a hero now, aren't you? You have demons, just like the rest of us, and unlike the rest of us you're the one who's specific job it is to help us save the world." At Shin's words Bastille's heart clenched painfully. _Damn it! If only he knew… but I can't lie anymore to my team, honesty might be the only way for me to achieve whatever mission fate has given me._

"I need to show you this." He pulled out the decision coin and spoke the question aloud. "Is my mission granted by fate to kill Salem and destroy the half-grimm? Heads for yes Tails for no." The coin spiraled through the air and landed perfectly balanced on the edge, even on the carpet of the dorm. Shin looked horribly confused.

"How? What does it mean?"

"I've come to interpret that signal as the objective is either optional or the question is irrelevant. My mission dictates that it is irrelevant as to whether or not Salem dies. But I inquired further. You, Yeira, and Tia are all important to whatever fate's mission is for me. So all I really have are you guys, you are the only reason I live, and the main reason I am in this world." Bastille stood up and his eyes glowed gold with a burning determination. "Until my mission is completed, I will refuse to let any of you fall, even if I have to endanger myself. The worst that happens is I have to start again upon my death. This attempt will be converted into data, I don't want the memories to go. I want the feelings of being among friends to stay with me as long as possible." The glow faded and Bastille offered a hand to Shin to help him up. _So he's back to normal now, that's kinda strange how he shifts like that._ Shin thought as he accepted the hand. The leader of BYST asked his own question. "What are you doing teleporting to the room?"

"Semblance Training, I need to make my trickster's mark last longer, I've got it about six minutes so far."

"Oh yeah? You've got a goal in mind for a time limit?"

"I want to keep the mark for over twenty-four hours. I want to be able to pull off the ultimate magician's trick."

"Oh, what sinister plan are you working on?" A devious glimmer appeared in the eye of Shin.

"I want to let myself be captured by the enemy, and place a mark. They take me back to their headquarters and I gather all the information I can. They'll tell me because their guard is down, and then I teleport away without a trace. That is my dream, my ultimate trick on an opponent. They gain nothing, but I can gain pretty much everything. All while my enemy appears to be in complete control." He closed his eyes with a peaceful expression. "Oh, to imagine their faces when I disappear right in front of them to reappear miles away!" He gave a villainous chuckle. "Priceless." The pair left the room, a small flash indicated the placement of yet another trickster's mark as he stepped into the hallway outside of the room. _Wait a minute, that's actually a bad call, this is a high traffic area. I still don't know what happens if someone is standing on my mark when I trigger it, more likely than not it's something catastrophic. I know if I place an object over the mark it reappears on the surface of the object, maybe it'll work that way with a person._ He grabbed the sleeve of Bastille. "Dude, I need you to do something." He said abruptly. He turned him to see the mark about the size of a quarter on the floor. It was a series of three lines all crossing in the middle. Something that wasn't exactly out of place, Shin pointed to the mark. "Stand there, and don't move." Bastille looked doubtful.

"I don't know what you're going to do, but if I die because of it I'm going to break your nose when I see you again." Shin dodged around jumping up to see if the mark had changed locations. The trickster's mark had moved to the top of Bastille's head. _Alright then, let's see if this works._

"Since you're standing on my mark I want to see what would happen, my mark is on the top of your head now. So if I teleport, I should just land on your head instead of warp inside your body or something. I suggest hardening your aura and concentrating on staying upright, because I don't want to fall on my face after teleporting." Bastille shrugged and braced himself. Shin recalled the foot that placed the mark on the ground, he balanced as well as he could on the single limb before triggering his semblance. Bastille suddenly felt a massive weight land on his head. His aura reinforced his legs, and neck to prevent the weight of the other student from injuring him. There was a precarious balance for a few moments before settling. "You know this is actually a pretty good trust exercise, Bastille. It's kinda relaxing in a way." Bastille almost nodded in agreement but managed to stop himself.

"Yeah, it's an interesting feeling. I'm curious how long we can hold this." A sudden gasp of surprise came from nearby.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Bastille and Shin jumped in surprise, resulting in a two man pileup. They looked around and saw Helena from team CHEQ. She looked at them shaking her head. "What is wrong with you guys?" Shin raised himself up, unintentionally pushing Bastille's head against the floor.

"Hey shut up!" He said indignantly. "It was an experiment-slash-trust exercise. I wanted to test something about my Semblance and Bastille was willing to help me." Bastille flipped off his hands to his feet, also propelling Shin into a standing position. The spear fighter almost stumbled backwards into the wall of the hallway. Bastille turned and addressed the Second member of CHEQ.

"Miss Helena, it's a pleasure to see you again. As per your question there is nothing wrong with me or my subordinate, it was a fully authorized experiment with the leader of BYST's approval. How are you faring with your team?" She started to look confused but dismissed the formal greeting with a sigh.

"Whatever, my team is doing fine. I'm getting stronger a bit too." Bastille smirked as he said something he had overheard in passing.

"I heard your conversation with Charles earlier. He said your fighting style seemed to be clunky and has a distinct lack of flow."

"What? H-how dare…" She gave a short sigh, she approached him, a shadow over her eyes as she got up in Bastille's face. "Okay yes that's what he said, but why he said it is nobody's business, not his, and certainly not yours. Now back off, right now." Bastille was undaunted.

"My guess it has something relating to your weapon, a purely thrusting weapon is a little-" He suddenly felt the side of his face burn with pain. Helena's Semblance triggered and a spectral afterimage lashed out and hit him with a backhanded slap, even having aura behind the strike, the impact sent Bastille back a step. Her actual body hadn't moved. She had a murderous expression on her face as she stiffly turned and marched away. _Damn, I think I made a mistake. There's a chance this situation could repair itself, but Charles is going to have to help her out. It would be a benefit if they stayed allies long enough to help me in my personal goal, but they unfortunately aren't part of my true mission. So if this spirals out of control not much is lost in fate's goal. However my psyche and the morale of BYST would be damaged, I must find Charles and-_

"Yo Bastille, you're zoning again." He flinched in surprise as Shin poked him in the shoulder. He turned to his companion his face in a fixed frown, he spoke as though he was very distracted by something.

"I feel like I made a mistake, I need to find Charles and see if I can fix it." Bastille started walking off. Shin tried getting his attention and asking him what he was doing but the pale-haired neither slowed nor turned as he spoke. "If there's something I can do to mend the damage I've done I must try at least, don't wait up for me." He said following the path the girl took, hoping that it would lead him back to Charles.

They had been training with working under Charles' Semblance. One of them had a blindfold, the other two would pitch a ball at the blindfolded target. It was Edina being the target. Helena had been sitting off to the side apparently not in a mood to participate. Bastille approached the leader of CHEQ. "Excuse me Mr. Kingston, may I talk to you for a moment?" Charles noted the serious expression on the leader of BYST's face.

"Sure," Charles turned to the rest of his squad. "Take five guys." The misty gold tendrils faded as the group spread out away from the two leaders. "What's up Bastille?" The leader of BYST was downcast as he replied.

"I believe I insulted one of your members, Helena. I also overheard your conversation with her about her fighting style. I commented on her weapon and got slapped. I don't know what I did wrong, so if you could clarify it might help me apologize correctly." Charles shook his head and placed his hand across his eyes, running the hand the rest of the way down his face.

"Oh Jeez… I guess you didn't know. But she had me promise to keep that information confined to our team." Bastille grumbled wordlessly before responding.

"Fine, I'll just give the generic apology." He walked over to where Helena was sitting her eyes narrowed angrily.

"What do you want?" Bastille cleared his throat and straightened up, before declining his head and back in a slight bow.

"I don't know what I did but I insulted you and I regret it immensely, I wish I could form a better apology. I hope you can see past my transgression eventually. I was unaware what I did would be an insult to you so please forgive my ignorance." Helena looked confused, glanced over at Charles, he shrugged; also confused.

"Um… sure, I guess I can forgive you since you're so damn earnest about it. Just don't talk about my choice of gear anymore, okay?" Bastille straightened up agreeing heartily to Helena's terms.

"Yes! Yes of course miss! I wouldn't want my trusted Gold Horn to be questioned, who am I to judge another's weapon? Farewell Miss Helena. Thank you so much for your time." He gave another little bow before heading back inside the academy. Helena looked after him with her eyes narrowed. Charles noticed and spoke up.

"He's an odd one isn't he?" She nodded before looking back at Charles.

"You've got that right, it's like he's from another planet sometimes." The leader of CHEQ shook his head ruefully.

"He overheard our conversation, and he agrees with me. You may not want to replace the weapon your father bought you, but maybe you could modify it a little." Helena's face contorted in a snarl before she replied.

"I said no, my weapon is fine as it is." Her expression relaxed into a more pensive look as she started to stare at her weapon as though picturing something else. _It was the first sign that my father was supporting me in my decision to be a huntress._ _I'm not changing this thing yet, It's message is too important. I need to come up with modifications to make it both mine and my father's weapon, after all he's why I'm here._

Bastille reported back to the dorm, finding Yeira and Tia there. "You seem to be in a good mood Bastille." The leader nodded as he sat down with his back against the foot of his bed.

"I rectified a social situation involving team CHEQ that would be disadvantageous for us." Tia was distracted by a huntress magazine and spoke with little attention to what Bastille was saying.

"Alright, sounds pretty good." Yeira seemed actually concerned.

"What happened?" Bastille shrugged, he was already losing interest in what had transpired between him and Helena.

"Oh, I accidentally insulted the skills of Helena Windsor. She accepted my very formal apology, so I don't think there's any reason to worry." Yeira lost interest as soon as soon as Bastille confirmed that he had apologized.

"Alright, sounds pretty good." Her voice mimicked the tone Tia used earlier.

They had been sitting in the room silently Yeira reading her magazine quickly whipping out a pair of scissors and cutting out articles, before pulling out a shoebox and sticking them inside. Yeira caught a glimpse at the articles, they all featured Yang Xiao Long. Yeira dropped down and approached the other girl. "You like Yang a lot." Tia looked confused at Yeira and looked around at the shoebox of Yang articles and the poster on the ceiling. She replied with a bit of sarcastic tone to indicate she was being facetious.

"I guess I do, don't I? She had just… saved my life, made my life livable, and assisted me in restraining my power to prevent me from killing people. So yeah! Do you have a favorite fighter?" A flash of the effigy of Pyrrha with a black stinger from the base of her lower back suddenly flashing out and skewering a guard, mentally she buffeted herself back into focus.

"Not really." Tia looked at Yeira like she was dumb.

"What? You need to have somebody to look up to. There has to be someone, if not a Huntsman or Huntress then who? If it's because of the half-grimm you're going to lose your edge as the event grows more and more distant. Come with me." Tia grabbed Yeira by the arm and quickly towed her from the room.

A few minutes later the pair was standing outside by the spot Tia commonly keeps to herself. "I'm going to test your strength. We're just gonna spar for a bit I'm not going to use my semblance." They took up a fighting stance, the steel talons of Tia fell into place with a soft sliding sound. Yeira's weapon extended from the collapsible form and the hook flexed out of one end. She spun the weapon around into a fighting stance. Leaping Talon's claw circled around and sparked as Tia parried the weapon. They moved and dodged at high speed for an untrained eye, but they were both going at a speed where they could fully analyze their next move, attacking just slow enough for the opponent to react and meet the opposing strike exactly. They started off slow as Tia started talking.

"The primary reason I became a huntress is because I wanted revenge for my dad getting killed, I wanted nothing else in the world apart from killing the dragon who had stolen from me, get it? But my wrath turned me into a monster, Yang pointed out that I was searching for something strong enough to kill me, I was only striving towards something that could only cause mutual destruction." The pacing of the fight slowly started to increase as Tia continued to speak.

"And as time passed I started to feel my rage fade, less strong than before, I started to wonder why I was less angry, my father had been killed. Of course I also realized, that me killing this creature wasn't going to bring him back." The dragon girl dodged the claw and swept a leg low catching her opponent and making her stumble. "This is beyond any single person, so every single person planning to fight what will be coming must be as strong as possible. You must have something you want to protect, or something you want to work towards get it?" A burst of aura from the palm of Tia's hand sent Yeira stumbling back punctuating her sentence. Her aura sparked and flashed as the barrier increased, she pulled off her jacket and activated the quick release on her pants stripping into Tiamat. "We're going to have a little duel, similar to a contest match. Push your limits, and find what drives you. Come on!" The talons of Tiamat flashed with aura as blades of energy were launched off of them. Yeira sidestepped one and deflected the second. It struck the ground throwing up a cloud of dust. Yeira waved her staff to disperse the dust. Stars flashed in Yeira's vision as the heel of Tia's foot struck her across the eyes. _She flanked me through the cloud?!_ She hit the ground and rolled backwards as a fireball like a baseball splashed where she had landed a second ago. Leaping Talon's grapnel fired and clamped onto one of Tia's arms.

Tia stumbled at the sudden yank on her arm. She was pulled towards Yeira, Tia could see the cudgel weight come around she blocked the heavy knot with her arm. It slammed into her aura, she was sent rolling from the impact to her feet. "There isn't an issue with technique, there's just no soul in your strikes, in order to move faster and hit even harder you need to focus your will, your drive, your _soul_ into the strikes. That's how you reinforce your weapons with aura. That little club you hit me with barely hurt because there wasn't any of your aura in it. We are going to be fighting something far stronger than any grimm or human." Yeira kicked off the ground in a lunge as her Semblance activated she was floating half an inch away from land. The thrust was sudden and the sudden closing of the gap caught Tia off guard. The three-pronged claw slammed right into her stomach. Her aura took most of the force, but there was no aura coming from the weapon so it barely winded her. She skidded backwards, using her claws for extra traction. "Come on girlie, why do you want to win the fight? Think, hold it in your mind, and then act." Yeira paused and started to grind out her thoughts for an answer. _Why do I want to fight? Why do I want to be a huntress? What is my goal?_ She had taken a fighting stance and realized that Tia wasn't going to move in and attack. _She's waiting for me to get make the first move. Reacting only when I'm serious I suppose._ Yeira took a deep breath and dug deep for information. The past, the half grimm, the stinger from Pyrrha lashing out and executing the guard, the fear, the terror, the helplessness. All swirled together as the memory started to fill her with nervous energy, she could feel herself begin to sweat and her heart pound. Her legs felt weak like she was about to collapse.

She swayed slightly on her feet as she woke up back to the present. One realization clutched in her mind like a key. _I never want to be that weak, ever again._ She took a stance, her eyes narrowed and concentrated on her target. _I don't want to be afraid, I want to stand up to my fear, and move beyond my past!_ She unlocked the hook on Leaping Talon and swung the grapnel in ponderous circles, grabbing a section of the cable that spooled out, using the claw like a flail. The three curved hooks began to make an odd screeching sound like a bird of prey as it they cut the air.

Tia's eyebrows raised and a smirk tugged at one of the corners of her mouth. _Going serious? Alright, I need to get properly ready._ Yeira rushed forward as flames consumed the green of Tia's eyes. The claws closed and tightened up like they grabbed something, effectively a metal fist on a cable. The heavy weight of the claw, blazed around Tia's fist clashed with the flail. She felt her hand knocked back from the impact of the weapon. _There's aura on it now! Hah, I got her to do it!_ She flinched as a small amount of pain rippled through her armored hand. _Ow, she really did!_ Yeira pressed back and Tia was actually hard pressed, Leaping Talon's reach was able to prevent Tia from getting close. _She was hesitating just a little bit before, I didn't realize until now._ They sparred at a much more furious pace for about fifteen more minutes.

After the pitched miniature battle Tia and Yeira were both panting. "You know Tia, I was terrified of you and Shin."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yep, you with your monstrous strength, and you almost attacking me during the trials, Shin was so mysterious and paranoid, it was like he was going to kill anyone suspicious." In Yeira's memory Tia was a towering red reptile with fangs claws and soulless orange eyes like fire, and Shin was a concealed creature that stalked through the grass only revealing what it wants everyone to see while having a spear waiting among the tall grass to strike at unsuspecting prey.

"Well you don't have to worry, you should never be afraid of your own teammates." Tia said as the pair walked back inside, Yeira stumbled and almost hit the ground. _My legs are way more exhausted than I thought!_ Tia reached out and supported the shorter girl so she could lean against her as they walked back through the building and back to the dorm.


	15. Part 3 Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Most Deadly Game

Team CHEQ was participating in a leadership exercise, the leader would watch on high while the rest of the team would maneuver through hostile terrain. Drones from Atlas designed to mimic the grimm were unleashed into the enclosed space the terrain was a winding ruin of a town based in an arena almost the same size as the Vytal festival stage several years ago. "Alright, remember our maneuvers and my semblance to keep track of each other. Stacked Queen is Orwx and Windsor together, Hiyero keep your senses open to prevent those two from getting cornered, and make it so maneuvers are easier with your semblance, do you copy?" The trio responded in kind as they started to shift and move towards the marked objective. Charles smirked as an imaginary grid formed over the battlefield, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a chess piece, a black king. Spinning it between his fingers he took note of the positions of the target drones. "Edina, through the wall to your left there's two targets, three feet on either side. Your rifle should be enough to punch through, use my senses to tell where they are." There was a moment of hesitation, as the camera noticed the girl turn and unload two rounds into the wall. The simulated grimm went down as the rounds pierced their hull and forced a shut down.

"Got'em." Charles lounged in the chair and balanced the black king on the tip of his index finger as he responded.

"Excellent, regroup with the queen and rook, but keep a firing support distance… about one hundred feet should be maximum, progress forward at a steady pace until further orders."

Qester grunted in assent and the girls confirmed their orders as well. Despite his relaxed posture he was staring unblinkingly at the screen and his other hand was perpetually swapping views of the camera delivering as much data to his teammates as possible. "Alert, a pack of Ursi has locked onto your position and is heading your way. Stack Queen to intercept the largest. Edina, use your acceleration to boost Qester's Siege Engine."

"Confirmed." Qester felt a small impact on his shoulder, like someone had batted a ping-pong ball at him. He felt little electric tingles all along his aura, his body suddenly felt incredibly light as the sounds of movement began to come from in front of the pair.

"Castle, engage Ursa Major." Qester felt the rush of speed even before he started running. He took off, his feet pounding the ground, generating small tremors with each impact. The rapid footfalls sounded almost like wheels rumbling forward. There was a sickening crunch as the shield of Qester crashed into the Ursa, the impact carrying the grimm off its' feet. "Queen, take the other Ursa." The blade of Queen's Gambit retracted and the dust wheel unhinged and started to spin. Energy was released from the wheel as the second grimm came into view as Qester was concentrating on pummeling the larger Ursa into oblivion with his blunt weapon. Fire and lightning flowed together as a pair of prongs on the end of the foot long scepter gathered the energy from the wheel, she circled the weapon over her head once, and then snapped her wrist forward to sling the ball. The ball of dust energy crackled and hissed as it crossed the substantial distance, curving slightly to the will of Helena. The second Ursa reeled as it was struck in the side by the ball of energy.

Helena's target skidded slightly as its claws left small tracks in the ground. Another wave of dust energy started to gather as the mechanical Ursa locked onto and rushed towards the second member of CHEQ. She spun in a circle and unleashed the energy in a line from left to right. A wall of ice suddenly rose from the ground just in front of the grimm. It attempted to skid to a halt but bulled through the wall anyway. It sparked and the red sensors flickered like it was stunned, the beast landed only a short distance away from the girl. There was a snap of a rifle as the hull of the creature was pierced by a bullet from Silver Bishop in rifle form. Charles checked on Qester, most of the limbs of the Ursa had been broken, the choked up grip on the mace allowed fairly fast yet still devastating strikes, Quester had been using his mace like a punching weapon. Before finally choking back all the way on the grip and building a full swing. The impact reduced a concrete wall to rubble as the grimm was launched through it, bringing one of the already unstable buildings to the ground in a massive plume of dust. Another alert follows a tinny howl from mechanical Beowolves.

"Three Beowolves have locked onto the source of the crashing sound, they've just come into range of the cameras. They're moving to take the Queen, get ready Helena." A whispered curse came over communications.

"I can't get a firing angle." Quickly Charles contacted Helena.

"Qester is out of position and the acceleration has worn off, you're on your own against these things, can you handle it?" Helena smiled, she moved slowly but left a blurred trail as she steadily took a braced fighting stance.

"Heh, of course I can!" Charles always felt excited when he saw the activation of Helena's Semblance. _This is gonna be over quick._ The three simulated Beowolves rushed forward lined up shoulder-to-shoulder. Her stance was lined up with the grimm in the middle. She started to bob and weave slowly, leaving the blurry trail with her movement again, her spear held at the ready. The three grimm lunged at once, Helena took a step forward and thrust out at the grimm in the middle. Blurry figures attached to her at the waist also attacked with spears striking each of the incoming grimm. Her specter caster is able to make her appear in multiple places at once, and her weapon as well. A single strike, three grimm were pierced through the skull by her spear, the specters returned as she removed the spear and spun in a perfect circle to avoid the broken machines crashing forward on their own momentum. During the brief skirmish Charles ordered Qester to push towards the objective and contest it until reinforcements arrived. He heard Professor Pallas speak as Charles tracked the motion of his pieces on the board.

"You certainly seem relaxed." Charles switched off the input of the communicator and replied without turning around.

"Yes, I've worked with my teammates pretty well, I'm only really good at chess, with my power and a position where I can't be easily harassed is my pristine element. My semblance is a good trick too, the information I gather, I don't even need to say, they are made aware of what I see without interfering too much with their own senses. It's like a kind of linked awareness, not a hive mind though, so we can't hear each other's thoughts."

"I would think that would be extremely stressful." Charles spun the black king against the palm of his hand before setting it down near the edge of the surveillance screen with the tip of his finger resting on the top of the king's crown.

"It was for a while, but I had my team spend six hours under the effect of my Semblance every day for a week. I have a lot of faith in my team both together, and separate. That's how I can be so calm while my team is fighting. In turn, they have faith in my judgment and tactics. As long as I have a proper view of a battlefield my unit is almost unstoppable."

"It's admirable that you have such trust in each other. But if they rely on your power too much they won't have a head or eyes around them to fight with, their bond to each other will be far weaker." Pallas intoned before falling silent again. Qester responded over communications and the surveillance indicated that he was in the objective zone.

"I'm in position now, what's next?"

"Hold there the other two are on the way, keep your ears and eyes open for movement." He switched channels to his bishop and queen pieces. "Double time it we're on a schedule." There was a loud rumbling and a loud chattering sound like snapping mandibles Charles looked at the surveillance, a big Deathstalker was heading for the control point. "Helena, Edina we've got a Deathstalker on the objective where Qester is. Edina, get to some high ground so you can see the objective." The bishop spotted a column that looked stable and there was a route to the top of it. The queen used her Semblance to get extra steps of movement on her route to the objective. The rook was baiting the Deathstalker into chasing him around in the circle. His stamina and endurance allowed him to keep only slightly ahead of the scuttling creature despite the weight of his gear. But beads of sweat were starting to form as his fairly cumbersome equipment hindered his movement. _I can't keep this pace for long I'll have to stand and fight now. I hope I can withstand this thing's attacks._ He skidded to a halt and spun in a tight circle. Bringing his shield to face the large insectoid grimm. Through the grille on the shield he saw the tail of the beast pull back for a strike.

The force of the stinger coming at him launched him off his feet, he spun and landed on his shield before turning the momentum into a roll that brought him onto one knee with a braced stance, his knee being the pivot point. He brought his other leg up and hurled himself forward to avoid being grabbed he choked back on the grip of his mace, the weapon came around and knocked the claw back, the armor on the claw fractured from the impact. The second pincer came in, closed like a fist, the impact landed on the shield; his footing wasn't there so he was sent sprawling. He took a deep breath as he managed to recover again. His aura flooded his body as it restored his stamina. _Alright, I guess I can survive with this, but he's chipping away at me slowly, his reach is longer too, I can't get back far enough to trigger Siege Engine. I can't hold my ground either, I just get sent flying even if I brace._ Qester jumped as he heard the calm and calculating voice of Charles come through communications. "Listen carefully, you're struggling against that thing, the others are on their way. Concentrate your aura in your feet, picture anchoring yourself to the earth with a foundation like a house. Your shield is the wall of a castle, or a gate designed to withstand a battering ram. Anchor yourself against the earth and stand!" There was a subtle intensity of the words that carried to him with little sparks of will and courage, he felt bolder, more confident. _I can do this!_ He stomped on the ground with his pivoting foot aura rushed down his leg and dug into the stony ground. The stinger came forward bringing the momentum of the creature with it. The shield rang like a bell as it was struck. The aura reinforcing the shield prevented the armor from taking damage.

The Deathstalker tried to go around the shield but it couldn't sidestep very far to flank him, allowing the guardian to keep pace with the creature. She pivoted back and forth to meet each lash of the tail or seeking claw. The impact was too great for him to manage a counterattack, he held the shield with both hands as it rained blows on him but he withstood the onslaught long enough for the crack of a rifle to be heard. One of the many eyes of the Deathstalker dimmed as a bullet pierced it. It reeled back in pain as it turned in the direction the fire came from. Seeing the moment of distraction Qester felt a growl of satisfaction a rumble came from beneath his feet as his Semblance triggered, the effect migrated up from his feet and into his hand, and down to the head of Ram. He spun in a quick circle to build up momentum, a roar of effort brought the flanged mace crashing down on one of the claws of the creature, and the impact crushed the claw flat and flipped the monster to the side. It wriggled about for a brief moment as it struggled to right itself with a broken front limb. Helena charged onto the objective point with her weapon at the ready the dust casting mode of Queen's Gambit flashed, pillars of ice sprouted from the ground, latching onto the tail and half the legs of the Deathstalker. She spun her weapon as it transformed back into a spear. The armor on the underside of the Deathstalker was thinner than the top. She bobbed and weaved faster than the eye could track as she wound up and unleashed her Semblance. Five strikes at the same instant pierced the creature, perforating in a neat line. The mechanical grimm went limp and a bell sounded indicating that the mission was completed. Charles smirked and pocketed the black king.

"Good game." The session was taken in for grading and the team was dismissed and moved onto another activity. He heartily congratulated his teammates on their unity and trust in him and each other. He bought them all an a la carte drink from the cafeteria. "Excellent job everyone! Keep it up and we'll dominate in all our classes." Edina, Qester, and Charles all raised their drinks while Helena was slightly hesitant but raised her bottle of water anyway. _I understand his power, but why does it make him a leader? He could be a support like Edina, he doesn't really seem like a leader with his weak body, aren't huntsmen supposed to be strong?_ She decided that she would confront Charles about this the next chance she got.

Elsewhere...

Near the kingdom of Vacuo a man approached on a white horse and armor dulled by the stinging sands. His eyes were just barely visible below the hat and the thin red scarf around his face to keep the blowing sands out of his nose and mouth. He seemed to ride easily despite the grueling high sun of Vacuo. He glanced at his map and recognized that he was near a town. He stopped by an inn tied up his horse and went inside the cooler interior and sat down. It wasn't long before a woman approached him, a waitress. "Would you like to order something?" The woman asks, the man silently shakes his head before responding. His voice dropped low as he replied. "I'm looking for information, if you could subtly get me the name of someone willing to provide. I'll take it with a cold glass of water. It's frightfully hot around here." The woman's smile faded as a knowing smirk creased the stranger's face his blue eyes twinkling innocently. The eyes of the man made the woman wonder if he understood the implications of what he had just asked. She left and returned with a small piece of paper and the glass of water. It had a number for a scroll on it, no name underneath. The blond man leaned on the wall of the booth with his feet resting on his scabbarded sword as he dialed the number. A voice answered the caller with a concerned tone.

"Hello?" The traveler spoke quietly into the scroll to prevent being overheard.

"I'm looking for someone, and I heard you're the best person to ask." The caution about the info broker's voice on the other end disappeared as he responded.

"Oh yeah? So you're probably Jaune Arc then hmm? How weird it is to see you riding around on a horse, never pegged you for an equestrian man, according to my sources it's like you disappeared into thin air off of Patch. 'Where did you go?' I wonder. And who was that woman said to enter your house before your disappearance? So many questions like fog surround you, making it hard to see you clearly. So here's my price, answer my questions about you and I'll help you out, sound like a good deal?" Jaune frowned as he quickly thought up a plan.

"Sure, but only yes or no questions at the moment. Some of this stuff is classified information, and I'm in a public place." The info broker sighed over the line and agreed.

"Now, you are Jaune Arc?"

"Yes."

"You were in your home on Patch Island a while ago right?"

"Yes."

"Did you get kidnapped from your home?" Jaune thought carefully about his answer.

"Yes."

"By someone you know?" Jaune felt a shadow of pain over his heart, but he had already forgiven what had happened, it had been worth it in the end.

"No." There was a snickering coming from the other end of the line.

"Oh Jauney boy, you're a terrible liar just like my sources say. Someone you knew _did_ kidnap you that night, although nobody my sources recognized as being familiar to you. How interesting. I'm willing to hear who you're looking for now." Jaune took a breath and recalled what he was told.

"I don't know her name or face, but I'm looking for a young woman with an uncanny power, not derived from a Semblance." The info broker on the other end of the phone paused.

"How interesting, I know who you are talking about. But to get me to tell is going to cost extra, information relating to her is one of my most valuable possessions. You need to have some valuable information to trade for what I have." The knight knew exactly what he needed to say next to hook the slimy information broker.

"How's this sound? I know the current location where Salem is hiding." Jaune cupped his mouth and whispered to make it impossible for someone to overhear or read his lips. Disbelief was obvious in the voice of the broker.

"What? No, there's no way. How? How's that possible? You're shitting me… right?" Jaune restrained a chuckle as he spoke with a bit more confidence now.

"I'm a bad liar remember? I couldn't possibly trick you with a lie, Jaune Arc doesn't work like that."

"Alright then Arc you tell me where Salem's hiding and I'll tell you where the girl is, right now, I've checked this call isn't being traced by anything so please let's swap information without delay." Jaune sent the message to Neo as he started to speak.

"Get something to write it down, Salem is hidden in an abandoned town called Winterspell near Mantle, there's an underground area she's using as a base, there's black pools down there, now give me the information."

"Excellent information Arc, thank you so much, the girl you're looking for is named Golde Zestrum, she's four foot nine, wavy blond hair, and green eyes, she's also got a freckly face. She's currently nineteen years old, It's confirmed that she has the power you're looking for, but not exactly what iteration, if you catch my meaning."

"I understand," Jaune said checking his watch, he had to struggle to keep his expression deadpan as continued to speak. "I've done a little research myself on where you've been _Roman,_ turned a life of crime into an information broker business since that battle around Beacon all those years ago?"

"Wha-? Oh yeah, I got swallowed by a grimm, managed to blow it's head off before it was too late." Roman said from the other end. "I wonder what happened to Neo, I never saw or heard from her after that." Jaune covered his mouth and turned away from the phone to suppress his laughter at the irony of the situation.

"Well I guess I should go, I've got some other business to attend." Jaune said before concluding the call. Roman sat back in his chair. _It was odd to hear a familiar voice, maybe I should avoid doing that._ Despite Jaune's opinion he wasn't doing this as a break from crime, he also got in the information trade because he wasn't fit for intimidation and robberies like before. He jumped in his chair as he heard a sudden knock on the door. He supported his weight on his cane as he limped on his remaining leg to the door of his out-of-the-way home. He reached out with the hand not holding his gun cane and opened the door, quickly shifting his weight in case he needed to suddenly aim and fire his weapon. At first he looked around and didn't see anyone, until he looked down slightly.

Almost out of a dream there was a woman just over four feet tall with dual colored hair she looked at Roman with a smile with a small amount of awkwardness. Her feet shuffled like she hadn't really thought about what to do. "Neo?" Roman asked, Neo nodded and came inside silently looking around at the small and messy home. She looked at Roman with a raised eyebrow. "I know it's rough, but I haven't made plans for visitors yet so ya know…" Roman turned and saw Neo sitting daintily on the two seated chair along one of the walls, she gestured for him to sit down next to her. He ambled over and collapsed into the spot beside the girl. And just like they usually did after robberies she snuggled into his side and Roman turned on the TV. Putting his arm affectionately around her shoulder they watched the show together. Roman nearly jumped out of his skin as he heard someone not on the TV speak.

"I've missed this."

"N-Neo you can talk!?" Roman stammered in surprise.

"Well… yeah, I got a voice." Roman scratched his orange hair, still confused but glad for his friend.

"But, that accident, you said you couldn't talk anymore!" She took a deep breath and let it out in a narrow stream of air.

"I came across someone who basically could do miracles, she gave me a voice. She also gave me the power I needed to get revenge on the people who had tried to kill you, that Red kid. I had heard rumors that you had survived the crash. It was enough for me to search for you myself. With the help of Salem's resources finding you was easy enough." Roman straightened up and looked down at his multicolored subordinate.

"Salem? Neo! I thought I warned you about getting involved with anything worse than Cinder!" Neo sighed and avoided his eyes.

"I didn't go looking for her or anything, she tracked me down and kidnapped me. But after a while I came to rely on her, in exchange for her information relating to you she had me as part of an experiment, it restored my voice and made me strong. Say, what happened with your leg, I noticed it was gone and now I'm curious." Roman got up from the seat forcing Neo to sit up straight.

"As I was fighting that Ruby girl I got jumped and damn near fully swallowed by a huge Gryphon. But I had my cane in my hand, I blew a hole in its neck and escaped, but I was on that ship, and I had also just blown up the controls so I had to bail because the ship was going down hard, I barely got clear before the ship hit the ground, I was hauling ass when the entire thing blew up. My aura wasn't prepared for the impact and a piece of the ship cut my leg clean off, my aura prevented me from bleeding out. But aura can't reattach lost limbs." He spun his cane and leaned his weight on it towards the still seated Neo.

"So I went to ground, hiding out and opening up an information trading business, to be honest it's not that different from what you and I were doing before. I sell rumors and lies at a ridiculous price, sometimes I give out little bits of truth if someone has access to another valuable piece of information. But now there's only one question I want answered above all others. What did Salem do to you, hmm? I could feel it, there was something off about your aura." He leaned back a little with an arm extended to the wall so less weight was put on his cane.

"I guess you could say I'm some kind of hybrid? Salem did the impossible, she actually imbued my body with a little bit of Grimm stuff and it made me stronger, fixed my voice, and now I have another power in addition to my aura. I bet if we went to her she could help you too, she could fix your leg, Lady Vira is really understanding and if she puts in a good word for you Salem will surely-"

"Nope." Roman said, cutting her off sharply. She looked up suddenly and her eyes changed color repeatedly. But all the colors were all white or black, but no brown or pink. _She's lost all her colors._ The former crimelord realized looking at the tearful expression of his friend.

"But why Roman? Salem told me where I could find you! What am I to you? What is my friendship worth, what am I worth? I just want what's best for you, so we can go back to the way things should be." Roman felt his heart ache in the heartfelt protests Neo was displaying. _But even then, Neo never asked me for anything, she took whatever she wanted from someone else. I made the decisions, not her. She's not the girl I partnered up with. She's different, she may look the same, but there's still something off. She was never sad, she was always happy, if she was upset she took it out on someone else with vicious glee._

"I don't want things to go back the way they were, honestly. Especially if it means being someone else's pawn. Your arrival here was welcome, but too convenient, I had just hung up with Jaune Arc, and he had told me where Salem's current base is in exchange for information relating to one of the four maidens. He also mentioned you by name, and then right on queue you roll up almost immediately. You're here to silence me aren't you?" Roman's aura ghosted into place as he saw a change come over the woman in front of him. She stood from the cushioned chair stiffly.

"I just wanted for us to be together, is that so bad?" Roman looked down and started to back away as the girl slowly started to walk towards him. _The clincher, she doesn't have the umbrella sword I had made for her, it was her prize, something that was truly_ her _and now that's gone too, she's gone, this girl is just a doppelganger now. Which means…_

Roman instantly raised his cane, the bottom flipped open and with a loud bang a sparkling burst of dust energy was launched towards Neo at close range. Her image shattered like glass as the burst struck it. The whine of small motors could be heard behind Roman as he whirled around. Hardened steel yoyo's came rocketing at his face and torso. His cane clanged loudly as it deflected the miniature wrecking balls. He hopped back using his cane for a second leg and forcing his aura down his remaining leg to help him stay balanced. He found the girl's eyes had become red, and not from tears as she peppered him with long strikes from her weapons she grunted visibly. He noticed she had a forked tongue, and her canines had extended slightly. Roman stepped forward, catching one of the yoyo's on his cane and the razor sharp wire wrapped around it, he used this grip to pull Neo in close, he used his size to his advantage, swinging the girl over his head he slammed her down onto the ground, he pointed down with his cane at point blank range and fired at the floored hybrid's face. Using the recoil of the weapon he spun around into a strike. The blast shattered another duplicate and the follow up strike clipped the real Neo on the side of the head. She bumped against the wall. Her right-handed yoyo flashed out and slammed into Roman's foot knocking him off balance. He spun and tapped the ground with his cane hard his aura acted like a spring, he spun back around and used the crook of his cane to grab Neo by the neck.

He pulled her in and elbowed her in the face as he pulled her forward. She couldn't escape his grip and his vision transformed into something else. He was fighting a faceless shape as he drew back his fist and rained blow after blow on his opponent. The weight of Neo suddenly shifted as her body started to change form. Darkness flowed in a smoky mass as her legs transformed into a single scaly tendril like a snake red light flowed out of her irises and flooded the rest of her sclera. She pushed against the ground bringing herself up past Roman's eye level, she seized his cane, the weapon bent before breaking in her hands. She stiff armed him in the sternum and she slithered forward pinning him beneath heavy coils. She leaned down close to him as he struggled to move, her voice and breathing had a slight hiss to it as she caressed his face with a mixed expression between sad and bloodthirsty. She went to his shoulder and bared her fangs digging them into Roman's aura eventually wearing through, her fangs pierced his flesh through his shoulder. She immediately backed off and reverted to a fully humanoid form. Roman managed to get into a sitting position he felt very funny, not like he was dying but every part of his body was relaxing. He looked questioningly at Neo who answered his unspoken question.

"I can change the properties of my venom, now it's a muscle relaxant because there are a few things I want to do before I send you to Salem." Neo helped the now limp Roman into the couch, pulling her knees up and leaning into him she placed his arm over her shoulder. The TV was still functional after the skirmish, she relaxed away several hours producing background noise to the television with all the things they could do when they were working together just like old times. Realizing that Roman had passed out from the venom, she laid him down on the couch which he seemed to be using for a bed and put a blanket over her friend. She sat down on the floor and watched TV until the sun started to go down internally she worried whether or not Salem would view such a lowly criminal worthy of ascension, she shrugged. Neo could see her again if Salem saw him unworthy and executed him, upon her own demise. Neo had no sway over Roman's fate anymore. She pulled out the black dagger and pricked Roman's finger with it when he was still unconscious, then he disappeared.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hello again! All this stuff relating to Roman is my personal belief, I think there was a small chance he survived. Anyway, I hope you're liking the story so far, leave a review if you have any questions or suggestions. I don't know when I'll shift into part 4, some characters still need fleshing out before all hell breaks loose.**


	16. Part 3 Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Judgement

There was a blinding flash that accompanied a crumbling sound the silver light from the eyes of Ruby Rose faded, the three huge deathstalkers crumbled into dust and blew away. The woman with the red hood released a held breath. Her crimson scythe collapsed back into a carrying form, stowing the weapon she put up her hood and her cape shrouded her body from view, leaving just a red shape that walked back to the town with gratitude from the elder. She smiled a warm and gentle smile as she left, a person in the window of the inn looked out and saw the red-clad figure stride away and signal for an airship. The figure took note of the direction of the airship's travel as it left, then she got up, grabbed up her white hood, and left the inn following Ruby's path through the skies of Vale from the ground.

There was a hub for huntresses and huntsmen transportation in the kingdom of Vale, due to the central location of Vale between all the three kingdoms and Menagerie. Effectively it was a town and resting area for fighters from all across Remnant, this was Gilton. It had better natural defense than Mountain Glenn, in addition to the place being populated by almost a thousand huntsmen and huntresses renders the location almost unassailable by the creatures of grimm. In one of the taverns was a man with a red cape and hood, with his head down on the counter. His graying hair and smell about him gave him away as Qrow Branwen. The bar maid came over to him.

"You've been in here almost every day, still upset about your son that disappeared a few years ago?" Qrow tilted his head slowly to look at her with his dark red eyes.

"It's not that, I just like this place and the company is far from unpleasant." Qrow bounced his eyebrows at the pretty barmaid pointedly before carrying on. "But I shouldn't have to worry about my boy, I didn't expect him to be matched in battle so early on. He's an adult, and a professional huntsman, so he can take care of himself. If he got killed that's not my problem." Qrow took a breath and slowly straightened up. "Of course that won't stop me from welcoming him back with open arms if he does return alive." _Especially since the divorce Winter isn't able to look out for him, and I really can't either._ Qrow wonders if being a bad parent runs in the family. Then the huntsman who was over forty years of age got up from his chair with a stagger and wandered out of the bar with only a little unsteadiness, he had somewhere he needed to be.

Elsewhere…

"Why were you picked as leader? I feel like I could do a good job as well. Isn't a leader supposed to be strong as well as have the skills needed to lead?" Helena spoke to Charles over lunch.

"I can think of several reasons why, but none could be right, I don't control the teachers, just like I can't change the rules of a game once it starts. Their decisions are their own, not mine, I do my best with what the situation presents, if I wasn't the leader I would be fine with supporting you and the rest of my teammates with my power and strategies, while you could be a proper vanguard… honestly no different than your role right now." Charles looked up and realized that his ally was confused, he decided to clarify with an airy wave. "It doesn't matter how the teams are arranged, we are all critical parts of a greater plan within a battle. All that matters is that we fulfill our roles. Leader is only a title, I don't care, you can take command if I'm caught out and my semblance is shut down. You seem like you can handle it Helena, you will be secondary commander."

"Wha… how… what?!" Helena spluttered at the announcement of CHEQ's leader, and how calmly and roundabout the way he said he had made her a second in command. Charles pointed out that she already was leading people on the ground. Charles started eating despite her blushed and confused expression. He finished his lunch and pushed his trey to one side resting with his fingers meshed and elbows resting on the table.

"So, were there any other concerns you needed to discuss? Or are you satisfied?" The flustered second-in-command composed herself and started to speak again, this time with a hint of sheepishness.

"It was about my weapon, if there was a part I could eventually change about it, what it should be." The eyebrows of Charles were raised and Helena knew she had asked a foolish question.

"Why're you asking me when you should be asking yourself? It's your weapon, I can't stop you, I just said your weapon could benefit your style more with a few modifications, but what you need exactly is for you to decide." His intelligence and casual wisdom were completely disarming. She felt that a lot of her questions were irrelevant. A small smile spread across the features of the leader.

"You're a good person, I like you so far Helena, I'm inclined to learn more in the future. I'm enjoying this talk so far, I have a question myself." Helena was interested in what Charles had to say, but was hit out of nowhere by his question. "Would you train me?" She looked at the leader doubtfully but Charles continued in earnest. "I mean… I would like some help, I can barely take down one grimm, and I'm well aware of how important I am to the team, so I need to get a bit stronger. So would you please help me practice?" She was about to turn away but her eyes started to burn like she was staring at something bright before blinking.

"Sure I suppose, it would probably benefit us all." Charles scooped up his trey and walked back with a bounce in his step.

"Excellent! Thank you Helena."

The pair met up on the roof that evening, armed and armored. The two stood at a distance from each other. Helena spoke up after a moment of silence. "First lesson, reflex and response, I'm going to draw first and attack in the same movement, hone your senses, and concentrate on every movement I make. Calculate, and then defend. If you're feeling ambitious plan a counterattack, auras up, we don't want any accidents." Gold light for Charles and silver light for Helena flickered as their auras snapped into place.

 _Shhnk!_

There was a metallic sliding sound as Helena's weapon suddenly transformed, and the weapon was instantly coming at Charles point first. His hand was already near the hilt of his sword. The dagger of King's cross came up and started to parry the spear, but she was aiming for center mass. He wasn't fast enough to also step out of the way and it clipped his side, forcing him to turn from the impact and stagger slightly. The movement and stagger in the action did not go unnoticed by Helena.

"I see your problem, your aura is out of balance, and it isn't following your movements. My aura was flowing into my arm to make the muscle fire faster, also my back leg to push off the ground with more force. I was watching and you seem to keep your aura as a defensive shield around your body. You only strike with the power of your muscles." Charles nodded in response.

"Yes, I plan on maintaining my aura for my Semblance, I won't risk consuming too much of my aura." After pausing to consider Helena snapped her fingers.

"You need to use your aura to defend as well as attack, the body defense is good, but you need to concentrate your aura on where an opponent's strikes are going to land. I'm certain you know about attacking, aura flows down the weapon adding momentum that shouldn't be there. You need to meet force with force, and meet it directly. You parry with your aura as much as your blade." Queen's Gambit retracted and she stowed the weapon away and took a fighting stance. "Let me show you, block my punch." The dagger of King's Cross returned to the holster and Charles took up a stance as well. Helena's aura gathered up in her hand, coiling in on itself over and over. Her fist slowly inched forward Charles, he looked looked confused for an instant before reaching out and intercepting her fist with the palm of his hand.

He found himself skidding on his back the instant he made contact with Helena. His aura had protected his head so a concussion wasn't an issue, the impact had only winded him. "You see? If you had hardened your aura you wouldn't have been launched like that. You also underestimated the force of impact by the speed I was moving. While doing that took a lot of concentration on my part anyone trained in manipulating their aura could attain the same deceptive attack." After leaning back into a standing position Charles nodded.

"Alright, I get the concept now, let's try that first thing again. There's actually something about my semblance I want to try. When I unlocked my semblance it was a whisper in the back of my mind, even quieter than the rules for the Court." Wondering what Charles was talking about Helena saw him get ready again, one hand near the scabbarded weapon at his side, the dagger of King's Cross ready to be drawn. Charles diverted some of his aura away from the defense and concentrated it on his hand, ready to flow into his weapon as he drew it. He directed his will towards his opponent. He felt something, a pull on his aura flowing and pulling on it, his semblance. He concentrated on his opponent everything dropped away. The whisper that described the semblance would allow him to force his will onto his enemies. The force built up more and more, until he released it with a mental command; collapse. A low tone that resonated like a hum sounded through the air between the two. Instead of drawing her weapon, Helena's eyes suddenly unfocused, her eyes began to drift closed and her body went limp as she appeared to pass out on her feet and fall. His eyes widened in surprise. His aura gathered in his foot as he dashed over and caught his teammate before she hit the rooftop. He was less startled that this new power actually worked than with terrifying implications. _What the hell?_ He realized that despite him catching her she was still unconscious. He shook her slightly. "Helena?" No response from the girl in his arms. "Helena, wake up! Please!" He begged as panic and alarms started going off in his mind. _Please don't be dead, or in some kind of coma._ He felt a small amount of aura gather up and release at the words 'wake up' Helena groaned slightly and her eyes opened blearily.

"Wha… what was that, what hit me?" She looked up and saw the dewy eyes of Charles and felt his hands supporting her back. Her face heated and she quickly rolled out of his grip and stumbled to her feet. Charles' normally cool composure broke as he wiped his eyes.

"You're alright, thank Dust!" He took a series of deep breaths and calmed his thundering heart. "That was a second part of my semblance, an altered effect of the Court, called Judgement. I can use it to control people, I thought it was fine until I tested it on you. Now I'm not sure I'll ever use it again."

"Why? What's wrong, it's a cool power." Charles shook his head and looked at his teammate with that irritating expression of wisdom and worldwise.

"It's not the power, it's _me_. A semblance is commonly a manifestation of the subconscious, what a person truly _is_. You heard that old wizard talk, he guessed the traits about us because he could see what traits would make up our semblances. Part of me somewhere wonders about enslaving my enemies, conquering them in mind and soul, I'm even able to target my allies with it, part of me wants the entire world under my thumb, and I refuse to have it. I am not that, so until the rest of me has broken away leaving that part. I refuse to use the Judgement portion of my power, the kind of person who abuses this semblance to make slaves of both friend and enemy." Immediately as Charles started talking Helena was about to start talking about accepting the part of himself that this Judgement was bound to. Then she realized that he was actually saving his power for when there was no other choice. After agreeing to keep Judgement a secret between them they trained throughout the night.

Charles woke up in the morning, everything was sore, back, arms, even his legs hurt. He had fallen asleep before his aura helped mend his body. His aura snapped in place as he moved about and stretched. The pain rapidly dissipating as the energy of his soul filled him, revitalizing his body. He picked up King's Cross, it felt lighter, even at its full length. He tensed his muscles and felt them, they were firmer along his arms and chest, but no real size increase. _I am getting stronger, but it's slow going, I need to hold my own without using Judgment. I might have to test it to see if it even affects grimm before I make a stupid move and try it on reflex only to get killed. Not those machines from the training exercise, I'll need access to an actual grimm._ The rest of CHEQ woke up and went to class together.

It was a history class Charles found himself sitting next to a very bored looking member of DHRK, he recognized him as Ken. Charles looked around for a brief second. Before looking down and taking notes, then he spoke under his breath to the senior classmen. "Where's the rest of DHRK?" The grey eyes of Ken flicked over and he answered in a similar tone.

"Wherever they want, I'm the intel runner. I take the best notes out of everyone and then share them with my team. We learned teamwork even in studying. Now silence, this is valuable stuff." Charles proceeded to take notes after a second of silence. _Maybe I can use Judgement to get help if I need it._ He shuddered in his seat. _Oh no, I'm not letting myself be tempted by the chance, power like this is addictive, I need to have it in reserve until there is no one left I can trust. I've already tested it on a human so I don't need to use it anymore._

Elsewhere…

A distant town of Veroyeri in Mistral a sound of alarm rang out, grimm had been spotted not far away and was approaching, in addition with something strange. A methodical stomping of massive hooves could be heard followed by a screaming neigh that was followed by silence. People armed themselves and prepared to withstand a grimm attack. There was a rumble of heavy steps and a figure came galloping from the tree line, a grotesque semi-skeletal horse with a black rider that had plates of armor like bone on his chest, head, and limbs. People with bows and arrows and a few with guns had formed up and started shooting at the charging rider. A kite shield covered in bony armor came around to partially shield the horse as it came rushing forward. Arrows bounced off the armor the bullets struck it, but still glanced off an invisible barrier, it closed the gap in a devastating cavalry charge and leaped, the crowd parted to avoid being caught underneath the clawed forefeet of the horse. The people on the right side of the horse-like grimm were unlucky, the rider leaped off and rushed towards the people who had desperately avoided getting crushed. Reddish black aura flickered and snapped into place on the grimm knight as he brought his shield up and advanced heedless of the fire that rained down around it.

Inside the mind of the rider he heard a voice. _Alright, Jaune just like we practiced, follow these instructions. Shield up, keep your grip tight, and don't forget to keep your front foot forward. Ready? Go!_ With an inhuman bellow the rider exploded off its back foot, so fast it seemed to disappear entirely, a point first thrust that skewered one of the defenders in a single strike. _Again…_ The blade was withdrawn and a diagonal slash sent another defender spinning with blood flying from him. _And again._ It spun and cut down another defender who had just lined up a shot on the back of the rider. Everyone backed up and fell back to a more defensible position while the creature seemed to pause, then reset to its guarded stance and started to approach again. Meanwhile the horse gave a screeching whiny and reared back, the claws on its front limbs tore into and caught on one of the defenders who had been too close pinning him beneath the massive bulk of the horse, the claws pierced the human's chest, killing him. It bulled through more of the defenders, shattering limbs and skulls with the hard hooves on the back legs as it kicked out. The horse also used the thick bone armored skull to butt and hammer the defenders who got too close. The rider had butchered his way through most of the defenders, the last one was firing repeatedly with a lever action weapon, and unknowingly he was backing up too close to the treeline. A Beowulf lunged from cover and hit him from behind, pinning him to the ground with its fanged mouth lowered to take a bite from its prey. A stern voice sounded out with a curt warning. "Hold it!" The knight had lowered its weapons and fell silent as the sounds of screaming and death sounded around the hamlet from the havoc of the horse. The grimm knight approached slowly, looking around and audible breathing like a man smelling the air and enjoying it the knight released the air in a sigh and his hands came up and removed the horned mask-like helmet. A shock of blond hair and blue eyes beneath the helmet caught the person off guard as he recognized the rider.

"J-Jaune? Jaune Arc-aaaaggh!" The Beowolf had leaned down and sunk its teeth into the man's shoulder while the knight wasn't looking. Jaune flickered and disappeared.

 _Shing!_

The Beowolf was sent flying backwards in two perfect halves as Jaune snarled. "Didn't I tell you to wait?! What the hell is wrong with you damn monsters?" Jaune took a breath and spoke again, far more calmly. "You can understand me right?"

The man's expression was a mixture of confusion and terror, but he was silent.

Jaune's eyes narrowed. "I heard you talk earlier, maybe you're in too much pain to speak? Or is it that you're talking to someone who looks like someone you know?"

Still the man was silent.

Jaune scratched his head. "Well I'm not exactly into torturing people so I'll just skip to the question. I'm looking for a friend of mine; do you know where Lie Ren is? I know he lives somewhere not far from here. It would be a great help if you could tell me."

Stunned silence with a horrified expression his breathing heightened like he was about to start screaming, Jaune cut him off quickly with a sharp wave of his hand.

"Alright I see where this is going… I wanted to see what I could get out of you before someone else could give it a shot. I guess I should just get going then." Jaune whistled and there was a screaming neigh and thundering hooves as the horse grimm approached loudly. The horned helmet donned Jaune's head and swung up onto the back of his other half and rode a short distance away from the town, people started peeking out of their homes fretfully, the horse reared up and the rider raised his sword, and pointed in the direction of the town. As though waiting for a command two dozen Beowolves and around six Ursi swarmed out of the treeline. The man screamed as several of the creatures grabbed him and quickly dragged him away. As the Nuckelevee started riding away and left the town to the grimm. He remembered that he had a date this evening. He needed some time to make himself presentable.

The man was dropped into a clearing and the three Beowolves dropped the limbs they were carrying him by and with howls charged back to the town. The man was bleeding in a dozen places from the fangs of the grimm. He heard the most welcome sound he'd ever heard, the voice of a young and kindly woman. There was a note of concern as he listened.

"You're safe enough now. Are you hurt too badly?" He looked up and was about to thank the girl when his vision flashed a red that drove deep into his sight and imprinted upon his mind. The words the woman speaks carving themselves into his psyche. He wanted to do anything and everything he possibly could for this woman, but some part of him protested, screaming that she was evil and set the grimm on the town. He gladly told her that the huntsman pair of Ren and Nora lived about fifty miles west through the forest. Then with pleasure he got up and slammed his head against a tree until his skull broke open and left a huge red splatter on the bark. The man who had pounded his skull into fragments slid down the tree leaving a large smear of crimson. _My power is getting stronger, he started responding even before I gave a vocal order… phew, but using my semblance is no less draining. I need to feed off of someone._ She went over to the villager and nudged him with her foot, he groaned softly. _Likely a massive concussion, but he's not dead… yet._ She rolled the man onto his back and drained his remaining life from him, leaving him a pale and crumpled grey shell. It was only slight, the dying man provided only stale aura that didn't feel all that good when she consumed it. Her body suddenly felt fatigued, and her mind developed a slight fog. She moved just as coordinated as before, but everything felt like it was on a delay. She had felt something like this before, Vira had just caught a small fever from the aura of a dying man. _I better avoid doing that if I want to be able to work with Sal, I feel like shit._ She used her scroll to contact Jaune and confirm that he can freely go about his business with Pyrrha for the rest of the day. "Thanks milady, see you around." Jaune said, his voice elated and happy. She was thrown off by the fact of the monsters having feelings and wasn't sure if this was going to be a problem for her sister or not.

At a family restaurant Jaune had heard about before Pyrrha had first appeared, the couple sat across from each other. Jaune had a thin hooded jacket over a Pumpkin Pete t-shirt the sigil was smaller, only a few inches across unlike his hoodie from his younger years. Pyrrha had a simple copper blouse and green skirt with a thin film of gold material, using the money that had been given by Lady Vira they had bought some actual clothes and spent some of the money on the food.

"Say, um… Pyrrha?" Jaune said pausing his eating.

"Yes?" She said with her emerald eyes questioning. Jaune swallowed and mustered up his courage, determined not to be intimidated by the powerful beauty.

"What happened to you after you disappeared? Do you actually not remember anything else or were you holding stuff back when we met again?" Pyrrha turned her head slightly and avoided Jaune's eyes.

"I… I seriously don't remember what happened," She looked back to him as she continued speaking. "But I also don't want to talk about it, we're just rolling along with what's happened, we can't change it, despite what happened changing us." Jaune had a feeling that his girlfriend wasn't just talking about Salem: he remembered the first kiss, Pyrrha's offer to train him, the actions and trials of the first journey with RNJR, all conglomerating in the clash against team WTCH. He agreed wholeheartedly and the pair lapsed into awkward silence.

"I kinda wish this was a double date with Ren and Nora." Jaune said regretfully, tilting his drinking glass with a fingertip around the edge. His date also sighed with a little bit of regret.

"Yeah, Nora would never let there be an awkward silence, probably she'd spend our entire budget on candy and dessert." Jaune gave an amused snort.

"And Ren, always there to apply the brakes to prevent her from going out of control for too long. I hadn't seen them about as long as I'd seen Ruby, I miss my friends." Pyrrha placed her hand on Jaune's comfortingly and brought her face close to his.

"Don't worry, I missed them too, but we'll all be together again, just like old times, it might be a little different, but you and I haven't changed that much since we met again have we?" Jaune smiled and held her hand, returning her grip lightly.

"Nope, I can tell my feelings for you are still the same, my dear." She gave out a single breath of amusement before Jaune closed the distance and they kissed over the table.

The night was far more enjoyable after that conversation. Also the small amount of tension that had come from the two lovers was dispersed as well. Jaune picked up his glass and raised it in a little toast. "To our friends, and the future!"

"To us!" Their glasses clinked and came down solidly. They finished up at the restaurant, the evening was starting to set in as Jaune rented out a room at the inn for the pair of them. Pyrrha keeping her head low and covered like she was cold to minimize the risk of her being recognized allowed the pair to get a room all to themselves for the rest of the night with no interruptions.

Bastille was searching the data within himself and was mining extra information about his Semblance, if there was any other uses for it than the transport between missions. He came across something he had lost awareness of. A final strike, one that calls on the strength of all the lives he lived, all the battles he fought, the people he's been, unleashing an infinite amount of power in a single devastating blow, wielding past and present lives to secure the future and the power of fate. However the data also seemed to suggest that his ability to produce aura would be completely burned out. He wouldn't be able to fight after that strike, he would be permanently limited to mortal strength for the rest of his life. The power was only a precise chain of mental commands to prevent him from activating the ability accidentally. He went over the commands and images in his mind, a chain of stars linking back to the present from the edge of an ever expanding multiverse carrying on to infinity, just like him. Along with the words: _The stars above are the enemies I have defeated._ There was a sound like an odd ding and suddenly there was a bright light in the shaded room he was sitting in. He looked down and saw that his hands were glowing with a silvery light like he was holding a distant star in the palm of his hand, there was a small amount of a yellow glow coming from somewhere too. He looked at the window and saw that the gold in his eyes were shining brightly. He started to move his hand into making a fist and took a sharp breath as his entire body reacted to the movement, steady, powerful, every single muscle. He instantly stopped moving. His thoughts became a panicked rush for half a second. _If I move I'm going to destroy something and burn out my aura, let's see where's the option to cancel out of the infinity crush? I know there is one._ He breathed a sigh of relief when the starlight faded. _Okay, maybe I should ignore some things about my semblance, because now this big thing is going to keep pestering me whether or not I should use it._

Elsewhere…

Salem sat on her throne, counting up where her half-grimm agents were placed, A map had several black marks on it to prevent her from forgetting. She had one in Vacuo, three in Vale, three in Mistral, and two in Atlas. She scratched her chin with a single fingertip as she glided around the map. _Not enough yet, these people are strong, but I need individuals with influence who can send many people to me._ She recalled one of her agents, one of the first people who made an attempt on her life. Also she had a certain someone in her mind, which had a very strong connection to her agent, Ruby Rose, she was connected to so much across Remnant, all of her friends have complete faith in her. Salem felt a small amount of cold satisfaction at the recognition that her friends might even be too trusting.


	17. Part 4 Chapter 1

Part 4: Together we Fall

Chapter 1

Reunited

Ruby arrived at Patch island and breathed a sigh, the air was calm and cool here, it just smells like home. Everyone had set this up a few months ago, Qrow actually mentioned that Raven might even show up. She strolled up to the old house she knocked on the door. The blond-haired Taiyang opened the door and gave a welcoming smile to his youngest daughter. "Hey there Ruby! It's been so long." Ruby smiled and pulled her father into a hug.

"It's been a while hasn't it? About… two? I think maybe two whole years since I actually visited the old place." She was still an inch shorter than her father but she knows she's still growing slowly. Ruby and Tai sat on the porch of the house with Zwei trundling about on his short legs before lying down underneath Ruby's chair. One by one people from the family started showing up. Yang came running up and pulled both her sister and father into a crushing hug that lifted them both off the ground. A bird flew onto the path and transformed into the casually striding Qrow. Another blackbird was following him through the trees and alighted on the roof of the house in sight range of the porch and looked at the group with interested red eyes, Raven. Ruby recognized the disguised mother of Yang as Raven was trying to be unobtrusive. "Looks like everyone's here. So what does everyone want to do?" A tension hung over the group like a lead weight. Nobody wanted to mention Betram, or the issues between Yang and Raven. No one in the group wanted to speak, the topics that would be the first things to discuss were struck out.

"It's been so long since we all have had a casual conversation… we've had nothing to talk about except bad news and personal problems I guess we could get started with something like this. How'd your last mission go Ruby?" Taiyang said in an effort to break the tension.

"It was pretty good, all I had to worry about was a few deathstalkers. It was one of those missions that made me fall in love with being a huntress all over again. It felt so good to see my efforts appreciated and thanked by the good people of Vale. It's times like that where I feel my dream of Remnant being a world from a story, an epic about heroes triumphing over monsters. I bet there's still a ways to go, although I feel like I'm getting closer." Taiyang went inside to get drinks for everyone while Ruby was talking.

"I kinda feel it too, especially after that big battle." Yang said lightly bumping her sister with her shoulder, Qrow smirked.

"One big battle and you think you guys are done? Nah, I bet Remnant is going to need you now more than ever, hell… it might even need me and your Dad to jump in too. Because you-know-who's still out there right? She's cunning and deadly powerful, who knows what tricks she has up her sleeve." The tension returned for an instant before Ruby cut it.

"While you are right Uncle Qrow, Remnant has never been more unified. Our links to each other, and the bonds to our friends scattered all across the world is one thing she won't break. I have no clue how much time it took her to weaken humanity as much as she did before the attack on Beacon. But now she has nothing, her strongest agents got killed, and that was her most trusted circle. My guess is that she won't make a big move like the attack on Beacon for the next few decades. For now she's toothless, she can't organize her grimm like before, without those jellyfish-looking-things." Qrow gave a snort, his gruff voice was far less serious as he responded again.

"Yeah, but it's been twenty years, and I've heard of grimm being able to regrow teeth almost instantly. I suppose if we don't fully drop our guard we don't have all that much to worry about. Have you found anything with that new custom grimm you'd found Firecracker?" Qrow said looking over at Yang.

"Nope, all I have is an eyewitness who described it, a grimm that fights with a sword and has an aura. I hope she's doing well in her training."

"You mean that girl you rescued a few years ago, Tia right?" Yang nodded.

"I like her a lot. She's wild, unstable, and explosive with an affinity for being a little savage and deadly with fire dust. It's like she's an edgier me." Taiyang came out with drinks and with a few beers down everyone, conversation started to flow a little easier, still with Raven keeping her distance. Ruby was slightly more of a lightweight than everyone else as she started to talk again.

"Say I remember Jaune living around here, did he ever visit?" Tai stifled a chuckle at the memory of Jaune asking for tips on how to get a date with Ruby several years ago. There was only one response he could give for the girl who's true love is her weapon… 'good luck'.

"Yes, he did visit once or twice. But rumor is that he disappeared for a while. Apparently he's doing a lot of traveling now, and get this, he's got a girlfriend too!" Yang spat out her mouthful of alcohol and coughed noisily.

"Wh-what?! Shy old Jaune, a girlfriend? I can hardly believe it. I thought he was going to be stuck on Pyrrha forever." They talked through the afternoon and went inside as the sun began to set. Yang was about to follow them when Raven suddenly flapped forward and transformed into human form, a hand landed firmly on Yang's shoulder.

"Yang…" The sun dragon stopped and looked at her mother.

"What's up Mom?" Raven pulled her aside and started to speak.

"Listen carefully, I need you to come with me. There's something I need to tell you, just the two of us." A dark portal opened and Raven nodded towards it. "Please." Yang was taken aback at how intense her mother was being. _This must be some really bad news if she's acting like this._ She stepped through the portal and Raven followed, the gate closed behind them.

Everyone inside wondered where Yang and Raven disappeared to, Qrow was the most visibly suspicious but didn't voice an opinion. It was the guess of the group that Raven and her daughter were actually going to hold a full conversation, a remarkable occurrence. Ruby in a buzz noted how much Qrow was drinking compared to Tai. "I bet Dad doesn't drink anywhere near what you do Uncle Qrow." Qrow snickered as Taiyang blustered, trying to prove his worth while doing his best to avoid insulting his friend. But his logic was fogged by the drinks.

"W-well he- he's… he's kinda _different_ from me Ruby, he's got a lot of troubles, and there's only a few ways to deal with them." Qrow snorted.

"But I'm also a connoisseur, how about it Tai old buddy, up for a little challenge?" Immediately they pulled out several shot glasses and lined them up filling each with some of the strong stuff.

It was an hour or two later, when eventually they both passed out. Ruby wandered back onto the porch feeling tired, she sat down in one of the chairs and rested her arms on the table before lowering her chin on top of them. Blinking slowly as sleep started to creep up on her, finally closing her eyes and feeling herself drift she heard a voice.

"Ruby…" Her eyes opened sluggishly and saw a white-hooded figure striding slowly towards the house. It was almost like the woman was drifting on the air itself. Ruby's slow blinks brought the woman closer. Until she could sit across from the huntress on the porch, she rested one of her hands on top of Ruby's head affectionately. The white hood with red lining fell back and Ruby looked blearily at the woman.

"Mom?" The expression and smile got warmer. Ruby wasn't quite sure if she was dreaming or not. Honestly she was hoping this dream would never end.

"You've grown up so much Ruby, I am so proud of you for all you've done." Ruby nodded slightly on wobbly neck muscles.

"Thanks, and you look just like how I remember you." She mumbled as Summer slid around to sit beside her daughter on the porch table. She hugged Ruby side-on around her shoulders.

"It's almost like seeing myself in a mirror you know?" The two pairs of silver eyes met and Ruby felt a tremor as her slowed senses finally processed that she wasn't dreaming. Her eyes widened and tears started to flow around the corners of her eyes as a smile started to spread across her face.

"But, you're dead… how? How are you here? They-they said you were…" Ruby's slightly slurring voice lost even more cohesion as small sobs started shaking her frame, turning her voice to a nonsensical mumble. Summer moved closer and pulled her into a deeper hug.

"I'm here now sweetheart, and I'll be here for Yang too, Tai, Qrow, Raven, I'll be here for all of you, but not for a while yet." Ruby suddenly pulled back and looked at her mother pleadingly.

"Why?" Summer looked sad but started to rise from the chair and get loose from the embrace of her daughter.

"There are some things I must take care of… unless, you want to come with me." Ruby almost fell out of her chair in her rush to get to her feet.

"Of course I'll come with you Mom! Please don't leave!" Summer smiled that brilliant smile as Ruby ambled up to start walking beside her, still fairly tipsy. She leaned on her mother and hugged her as they walked, almost like they were stuck to each other as they left the house and followed the path.

Summer looked back at the house and saw the two men snoring away from their drinking game a bloom of warmth brought another smile to her face. _Oh those boys… I'll see you again when the time is right, Raven too._

After leaving the sight range of the house mother and daughter started talking. Ruby started telling Summer about her adventures, she didn't feel like abridging and her mother listened avidly, seeking to fill any little gaps in memory she had. As Ruby was babbling on Summer made a show of seeming very tired all of a sudden almost falling to her knees as Ruby quickly moved to support her mother.

"Mom, Are you okay?" Summer didn't want to traumatize her daughter too badly so she came up with a lie.

"I'm fine, I just need to rest for a bit." She half-stumbled over to one of the trees nearby and slumped down against its base. "Would you sit with me until I've rested some?" Ruby sat against the tree next to her mother, leaning her head on the woman's shoulder. Summer leaned as well, Ruby quickly got comfortable and before long her breathing became even as she fell asleep. Summer shifted slightly, Ruby stayed asleep, shifted a bit more, completely moving away from the tree and Ruby fell sideways, still asleep, Summer breathed a sigh of relief. _Well she had been drinking, she needed a chance to sleep it off anyway._ Summer pulled out the knife and slowly applied pressure until the blade broke skin then the knife and Ruby disappeared. Summer kept walking in the direction the pair had been going before they stopped. _We'll be a family again my child._ She smiled and tears of happiness started flowing from the corners of her eyes at the prospect.

Yang and Raven stepped out of the portal to a distant part of the forest, maybe not even on Patch. The blonde huntress looked around, "Where are we?" Raven backed up from where the portal disappeared and cast seeking eyes about the surrounding trees.

"Far from where anyone could overhear us… hopefully." She turned back to her daughter. "As I said before I had something to tell you. The group Qrow and I are from, members are disappearing, rumors are spreading that dead loved ones come to take them away. Also more strange grimm are appearing, similar to the one that girl you mentioned running into. I've seen some of them work, they actually have the ability to communicate and organize groups of grimm." Yang's eyes narrowed suspiciously at Raven.

"If you know so much why haven't you taken any of them down yourself?" Raven looked down her nose at her daughter.

"I never go into a fight blind, I have never heard of or seen creatures like this before, I studied and memorized all the behavior and attack patterns of every living grimm out there. I know the types I can and can't fight. These new creatures, I don't know how to fight them, and there seem to be too many variants to keep track of." Yang was getting a very odd feeling as Raven turned her back to her daughter to avoid looking at her. "For once in a long time, I feel… afraid." Yang was shocked, all the descriptions of her mother by both Tai and Qrow gave her the impression that the hardened fighter was often was cautious, but never actually fearful. But then a thought occurred to her and she spoke up.

"Wait, when was the last time you felt fear before now?" Yang caught a glimpse of a smirk and an amused glint in one of her eyes.

"When I realized that I was pregnant with you, Yang. A little girl could have a loving, heroic mother, only to have her die suddenly and without warning, it scared me senseless. I was afraid that you would change me as much as what I could mess you up too." Still having her back to Yang she shrugged. "Although, despite my efforts the role of tragic parent was left to Summer instead of myself. Shortly after news of her death reached me I found myself wishing I had been the one in her place, the one who loved and cared for you and Ruby, and died fighting. But I had already committed to leading the tribe Qrow and I were born into." She paused and in the silence there was a soft smack. Yang had lightly cuffed her mother on the back of the head.

"Well you're here now right? Besides, Ruby is proof that if you're fighting to protect something close to your heart it makes you that much stronger than fighting for yourself alone." Raven turned and chastised her daughter.

"The tribe was my family too, I fought to protect and lead them as hard as I would to defend you. I'm not as self-centered as you would believe. But this problem I feel may consume all of us and we are all in very real danger, I need to go and organize my people, you start gathering your allies as well. Something big is coming, I've felt like this before Beacon got attacked, I predicted that Beacon would fall and Ozpin's plan to make a new Fall Maiden would fail as well. My instincts hadn't steered me wrong yet." Yang nodded and Raven drew her sword to cut another portal with her Semblance. She tensed when she was suddenly hugged from behind by Yang, but then softened slightly and carefully stroked Yang's hair for a minute.

"I'll see you again?" Yang asked releasing her mother. Raven flicked the blade and a swirling reddish blackness was rent in front of her.

"Eventually my child, I feel it." They stepped through the portal that took them back to the Xiao-Long household, then Raven slashed the air and disappeared through another dark portal. Yang looked around and noticed Ruby was gone. _Where is she? Did she get a mission? Going on a mission drunk? I guess she is related to Uncle Qrow. I better call her to make sure she's okay._ Yang pulled out her scroll and called Ruby's number. She very faintly heard the ringtone of her sister coming from somewhere in the surrounding trees. Yang looked around suspiciously. _Maybe she went for a walk and passed out on a bench or something else…_

Yang took off at a jog in the direction of the sound of the ringing. Checking to make sure Ember Celica was loaded. She came upon the sight where the scroll was just lying on the ground. There weren't any tracks but Yang was instantly on guard, the shotgun gauntlets spiraled out and covered her hands. She took a fighting stance and slowly circled with her eyes scanning on high alert. A voice that sounded like it was trying to be gentle but it had a small harsh grating that came from the trees almost like it was from everywhere at once. "Ruby is safe Yang, don't worry about your little sister."

The huntresses eyes flashed with red light as she growled at the bodiless voice. "Where is she? What have you done with her?" Yang interrogated with a voice cool and hard like fine steel. No heat boiled her blood like it did in many of her younger battles, her hair didn't start glowing or flickering like flames she tamped it down, contained her fury. There could be heat, but no fire unless exposed to oxygen. Suddenly small darts like feathers hissed out of the darkness and hammered against the aura on her back. She spun and some of the small feather quills deflected off her metal arm which she used like a shield.

"You are in far more danger than she is right now," The strange voice said punctuating her attack. "don't worry about her." Yang started to get a bead on where the voice was coming from, she kept her senses focused on that spot while still feigning ignorance.

"Maybe you're the one who should start worrying, hmm? A one-on-one battle with a huntress, it makes sense that you're being cautious. You seem to know my Semblance, that's why you're keeping your distance." She took a blind shot in the direction of the voice, blowing the top off of a tree with the long range blast. She spotted movement as a figure that appeared to have a feathery cloak leaped from tree to tree. Ember Celica roared as Yang blasted herself into the air and took off in pursuit of the elusive shape. The loud bangs of her gauntlets rang though the trees as she picked up speed and gained on her opponent. The figure suddenly stopped and clung to the bark of one of the trees with something, then a curved sword came flashing at Yang, almost quick enough to meet her mid-flight. She brought one of her arms in to defend herself, there was a loud clang as the impact forced her away from the tree, her momentum died and she dropped back to land on the ground. Mid fall she saw piercing red eyes dive on her and the true form of the figure revealed itself. A beautiful, vaguely familiar face, the feathery cloak was actually a pair of black plumed wings. Long legs that ended in cruel talons swung around, arms came up and several arrows were fired in a flash even in freefall.

She hit the ground instantly followed by the impact of the arrows. Her breath left her in a burst as the impact stunned her for half a second. The arrows landed just barely missing her hand and neck. Yang spotted the talon coming towards her abdomen and had a flash, the corner of her mouth tilted up. _Now I've got you!_ She defended herself with her mechanical arm, and grabbed the leg as the talon closed around it. The flames she had contained within herself abruptly roared to life. With the force of a small bomb going off her Semblance triggered, she shot to her feet and swung her opponent by the leg sending it careening through the trunks of two trees before Yang flicked the bird woman forward and grabbed her by the feathers on her sternum with her human hand, pinning her opponent against a tree, she pulled her powerful machine hand back and set about belaboring into the aura of her attacker. _If she doesn't talk after her aura breaks I'll have to hand her over to the police._ The tree around her opponent was steadily being blasted away by the force of the repeated shotgun blasts. Suddenly there was a flash of dark energy and Yang felt something sharp pierce her flesh through her aura, a jet black knife had slammed through her weakened aura and was stabbed into her side. A powerful wave of debilitating pain surged through her, despite her efforts she couldn't concentrate on maintaining a grip on her enemy and she dropped to her knees clutching her side. The odd voice cleared up to something recognizable and Yang looked up to see silver eyes staring down at her affectionately. The face was too familiar, the huntress refused to believe someone had the face of Summer.

"You'll see your sister again Yang." Summer whispered as a wave of heat passed over Yang before blackness. Summer's instinct was right, she mentally thanked Vira for allowing her to have a second blade. The half grimm headed for the town, maintaining her disguise and catching a boat back to the mainland.

Salem watched with dark mirth as the girl with silver eyes and the sun dragon plunged into consuming darkness. _Look at your small soul Ozpin, twisted and darkened to serve my ends, she shall get all she wants from the palm of my hand, and that sister of hers is now my pawn as well, the plague of trust will spread throughout humanity, killing and corrupting as it goes, while my forces only increase in number and power. Your 'new heroes' will fail and my power and vengeance will be complete. Or humanity fractures and divides, a desperate animal cutting off its own limbs to stave off septic death, while leaving itself deathly vulnerable to the beasts around it._ She paused and waited for the phantasmal voice to come back at her with something infuriatingly calm and full of reason. She allowed herself a small smile as she realized that she had silenced the cursed voice for the moment.

There was a clattering of hooves outside of the country home of Lie Ren and Nora. There was a brief knock on the door, a woman opened the door, her greenish-blue eyes looked at Jaune and she dashed forward, the woman caught him in a bone grinding hug that belied her smaller frame.

"Oof! Hey Nora, it's been a long time." Jaune said breathlessly as he patted her back in an effort to convince her to let him go. Ren steadily paced to the door when Nora called for him.

"Ren! Ren, Jaune is here, it's been soooo loooong!" Jaune traded firm grips with his stoic friend. The monotonous voice of Ren spoke with a subtle note of relief.

"Some news reports said you disappeared a while ago, we were very worried that something happened."

Nora circled around Jaune with a mischievous glint in her eye. Nora immediately started bombarding Jaune with questions. "But the new rumor is that you've been travelling around with a mystery woman. Who is she? Where is she? Can I meet her? Is she nice?" Ren put out a hand on her shoulder to stop her as she started to zip around faster.

"Nora," Ren said firmly before continuing. "I'm curious as well Jaune." Ren's eyes went to the horse standing nearby. "Also, where did you find that creature? I didn't remember you being a fan of horses." Jaune shrugged off the question about the horse.

"I found him wandering near where I lived on Patch, he was really smart and someone had unlocked his aura." The pearly white horse made a soft noise and scraped the ground with one of it's front hooves, nodding his head in greeting. "Also I looked for you guys so I could see you in person after all this time to tell you. I want to get you to meet my girlfriend, we're heading into Mistral in a few weeks we could make it a double date." The small woman started bouncing and chortling excitedly. Absently Ren put his hand out and started lightly rubbing Nora's head and she immediately settled down.

"Sounds like Nora's interested and I would greatly enjoy this opportunity." The knight gave them the name of the place the outing would take place before turning away. Jaune approached the horse and easily swung himself back into the saddle.

"I'll see you guys around!" He called as the horse turned and started picking up speed away from the home. Jaune danced a little bit in the saddle. _Getting the old band back together is going to be so fun we'll be able to fight together just like in the Vytal festival._ Jaune grimaced at the memories of the comical display his team made. _Hopefully it'll end up being a little different this time._

Vira spotted the girl who's matched the description Jaune gave her. Golde Zestrum. She nodded silently to the host of the deadly grimm dragon. Her eyes reddened as she gave the beast a message. _We need to go in hard and fast, but don't kill her outright her alive enough to get her power, understand?_ A soft huff and nod from the dragon confirmed the message. The dragon transformed into his monstrous visage and clenched his fist until one of his talons pierced the palm of his hand. Holding his hand out a small puddle of black blood formed on the ground, starting to shift and transform. Methodically the dragon laid out six small pools with his thick blood. A pack of Ursi quickly grew from the puddles, crouching low and keeping silent. The dragon gave a gesture with his human hand. Pointing at Vira and then the Ursi indicating for her to follow them in, the vampire understood the suggestion and agreed. They stayed in the cover until Golde had her back to them. The dragon took off from the ground and gained a substantial amount of altitude before circling wide to come in from above and in front of the girl. As though waiting for a mental command the Ursi broke cover and charged the girl at once.

She heard the rapid footfalls of the large grimm and whirled about, she took a quick sidestep to avoid the first Ursi there was a gold flare as the girl's aura sprang to life. A weapon unfolded from a holster on her back, a large glaive completed itself and she wielded it like a huntress, spinning and slashing. She decapitated one and cut off the arm off another. The butt of the weapon swung back and bludgeoned an Ursa coming up behind her, she leaped forward and skewered the one pawed Ursa, she got sent flying the instant her weapon was busy by one of the four remaining creatures. Vira looked on with a small breath of relief. _She might have natural talent, but luckily she's also pretty inexperienced._ She engaged her vampire power as she spotted an opening, she could feel the life force she had consumed draining away as everything slowed. She charged out of cover as the young woman prepared to defend herself against the remaining Ursa. Vira's weighted scimitar came around and hooked Zestrum's weapon knocking it out of her hands and landing a substantial distance away. She spotted Golde make eye contact with her, and used her Semblance. _Stop fighting._ But the young woman fought back and resisted the command. The half-grimm dragon swooped down behind her and his sword transformed into the two handed state and brought the blade around in a devastatingly powerful spinning strike. A shockwave was released as the blade slammed into the girl's aura sending her spinning and skidding. She got up unsteadily as the four Ursi ran at Golde. Suddenly they disappeared as the ground suddenly rose up in a wave and buried the creatures with a muffled crunching noise. Light like purple flames flowed from her eyes and swirled around her body as the power of the Summer Maiden awakened. She made a fist and a pulling gesture there was a soft rumble and a boom her glaive was sent spinning through the air towards her, landing perfectly in one hand. The Maiden called out irately.

"What the heck is going on around here? What is that thing?! Who are you?" The draculina and the dragon didn't answer and simply moved to attack again. The dragon lunged into the air with a snap of his wings and Vira sprinted forward as her eyes glowed red, she didn't use her Semblance because she didn't want to risk burning her aura on someone who could fight off her control. A wave of earth like a wall came rocketing at Vira, aura gathered in her legs and she shot to one side to avoid being splattered by the high-velocity barrier. A dome of earth was pulled over top of the woman as the pair closed in, the action that followed caught Vira completely off guard. The dome ruptured spraying large chunks of earth and stone everywhere. The dragon was knocked out of the air and Vira raised her arms to avoid being hit in the head by some of the chunks. She lowered her arms to find the blade of Zestrum's glaive swinging in, suddenly she had a cunning idea.

She blocked holding her scimitar with only one hand, hardening her aura to prevent the blade from being forced out of her hand. She brought the hand with the parasite up as the blades ground and sparked against each other. She felt the ground shift and suddenly she was up to her ankles in hardened earth. The weapon of the dragon transformed into it's double bladed form as it swooped in and started threshing with the huge weapon, the Maiden was sent staggering from each blow, she blocked it, but was still hit by so much force she was taking visible aura damage, it wasn't just the blade, the huge monstrous three clawed hand was also swinging savagely, bludgeoning and hammering his opponent with his monsterous strength and size. She dodged to one side and spun sideways sending a wave of earth into the dragon knocking him to the ground. His shorter, more human legs made it difficult to scramble to his feet.

The purplish flames kindled again and it was like the earth had started to dance, while before just parts of the ground shifted, now the whole thing was starting to rock and shake, Vira managed to pull her way free of the shaking ground and found herself immediately struggling to keep her balance. She engaged her vampiric state again, aware that it would reduce her aura to almost nothing and rushed towards the figure. The Maiden had been focusing on slashing and hacking at the large target, the frame of the dragon was so strange that the tremors prevented it from even standing among the tremors. She didn't see the leaping angular strike that abruptly reduced her aura to zero. But she turned in time to notice the following strike too late. Vira spun and brought her savage hooked blade around and laid open the back of the girl with the keen edge. She collapsed like a puppet with its' strings cut as Vira knew she had just severed the spine of the Maiden. She paced around the newly paralyzed girl cautiously. The flames of magic had gone out and the young woman was almost going into shock from the sudden injury. Vira could hear her gasping breaths as she closed her eyes with tears streaming down her cheeks. Her weapon transformed into a submachine gun and she grasped it with weak fingers. Salem had warned her about how the Maiden's power is transferred.

"Oh no you don't," Vira quickly punted the weapon and turned to the dragon who was bleeding from several small places. "lift her up!" The human hand grabbed her by the back of her hair and supported her and held Golde in a kneeling position. The girl stubbornly kept her eyes shut despite groaning in pain from the rough handling. Vira wiped off the edge of her scimitar and spoke in a commanding voice. "You aren't dead yet, if you want to keep your eyelids then don't make me cut them off, look at me." Golde opened her tearstained eyes and made eye contact with the woman who wounded her. She could see the little rebellious light coming from Golde, she didn't like it. Her eyes flashed red as she sent a command to her prey. _The only image in your mind will be of my face and your final thoughts will be of me._ Any stoicism the girl had evaporated in an instant as her mouth dropped open in terror, she wailed piteously as she struggled with her arms and upper body to break free. "No! No please don't! I'll do anything!" Vira flinched at the shrillness of her target before raising the hand with the parasite in it to the face of Golde. _I wanted to see her break down, but this is just too much, she's such a whiny little thing. She knows her power is going to me, because she can't get my image out of her head._

Vira took a slow breath as the parasite emerged from the palm of her hand staring at the injured girl for a second before spraying a small plume of black sludge onto her face. Still attached to the insect the sounds of Golde screaming sounded distant like it was being carried on the wind as dark energy swirled around the pair as the purple flames flared to life and started to flicker out in the eyes of Zestrum and being transferred to Zaleska. Vira felt new life bloom within her, it wasn't just the aura she was draining from the girl, it felt like some kind of elemental purity, no words could describe the pleasure she felt. She could feel the drain begin to slow as her target began to die from aura and life force loss. She detached the conduit at the last moment and looked at her target. She was pale, had discolored features where the sludge had contacted her, her breathing was short reflexive breaths, she was unconscious but her eyes were open. The eyes came in focus and slowly tilted Vira's direction, the vampire spoke again. "You've honored me with the power of the Maiden, so you won't feel the terror of the last of your life draining into me." She looked to the dragon and he released his grip on her head, she flopped so she was upright on her knees, she rocked unsteadily as if she could be blown away by the breeze. Vira leaned down close to the girl and cradled her head in her hands before hugging the limp, terrified, and now horribly confused girl. "Thank you so much, I don't really know what I can do that's equal to what you've given me, but I'll do my best to match it." Vira said softly before releasing the girl and standing up. As she turned to leave the girl on the ground started gasping noisily, confused at being left at the final stitch of life. When Vira was a short distance away she pulled out her gun, the high caliber weapon barked once. The last flicker of the Maiden's power rushed back to Vira as her target collapsed with a hole the size of a fist through her torso. As the dragon transformed down to a human form and stowed his sword away she realized something. _I feel different, not the Maiden's power, it's something else… my aura isn't draining away as fast!_ She took a sharp breath and a daring grin threatened so steal across her face. She marched out with a bolder stride. _I have to find more of this, it might actually cure me!_ She realized that she felt something else missing. Most huntsmen and huntresses have names for their weapons as she walked she pondered. _Tepes, a mythic tyrant with unquestioning fear and control over his subjects, this will be my weapon._

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 ** _I am still alive! There's a lot of changes going on around me so I had little to no opportunity to post new stuff I didn't really get the chance to work on it all that much either._**


	18. Part 4 Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Ash like Snow

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 **Author's Note: If you think that first chapter was going to be a special focus on the Half-Grimm this whole part is going to show how bad the situation has gotten before we skip back before the family meeting between the Rose/Branwen/Xiao-Long clans. This part of the story will only last three chapters, I'll post the next chapter in a couple of days. Hang in there! -Conflo**

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Several weeks later after Ruby went out on a mission and Yang seemed to go with Raven to dust-knows-where Qrow started hearing whispers of a huntsman that had disappeared several years ago reappearing, he sat in an unassuming corner with a cloak that was an effective enough disguise, beneath the shadow of the hood he smiled at the mention of the name Branwen. _I knew it! The old boy is just too tough to get killed so early in his career._ Almost like it was a charm his scroll rang, the caller id was Betram. Qrow took a breath and greeted his son cordially.

"Yeah?" The voice of Betram was sheepish as he spoke to his father.

"Hey... ummm, listen I guess you're wondering where I've been the past couple of years right?" Qrow kept his voice even to hide his relief.

"Maybe, maybe not, you're an adult and a professional huntsman. You signed up to risk your life for the people of Remnant it was your decision, not mine. It's not often huntsmen who disappear ever return, I'm glad you were one of the lucky few." Betram breathed a sigh of relief over the mic before speaking again.

"Right, I've got some information I gathered in my little absence I don't know if I can really trust anyone with it."

"I'm afraid not, you weren't sent on a mission to go off the grid so you don't have anyone to report to… actually I could help you out. Maybe we could set up a meeting and catch up." _Oscar has been very anxious recently relating to some recent rumors, the agents in Vacuo lost track of the Summer Maiden not too long ago. I hope this is some good news._

"I'm in Mantle at the moment, I ran into Ruby here too, but I think she was on a mission so we couldn't stop to chat for long." A subconscious pressure was relieved in Qrow with confirming his niece was still alive despite her sudden disappearance.

"Alright then, hang out there for a while I'll be on my way. I'll be there in about… three weeks." _As the Qrow flies._ The huntsman added with a smirk. _Am I becoming Tai now? That was awful!_ He shook his head silently as his son confirmed the meeting and set about closing the call.

"Alright I'll be seeing you in Mantle, boy." Qrow said as he hung up. He rose from the chair in his favorite bar in Gilton and left the place, strolling along the road outside of the hub he looked for a transport that would take him to the northern coast, or as close as he could get at this hour. There was one tomorrow, in the afternoon. _Bah… I don't feel like sticking around here all night I guess I'll just go until midnight tonight._

Special Operative Weiss Schnee was on temporary leave appointed by General Winter. _I don't know what possessed Winter to leave me hanging like this, I don't really feel like there are things I want to do, but I don't feel like wasting my time off either._ She was startled to see the answer to her conundrum come barreling at her in the form of a blurry red figure shrouded by rose petals. Weiss found herself bracing to be cannoned into by an overexcited Ruby, but was completely caught off guard when Ruby came to a dead stop less than a foot away from Weiss. A silver eye winked mischievously and the figure became a blur once again.

Weiss felt a pair of lips quickly brush against her cheek, she swatted at the insubstantial form as her face heated up. "Ruby!?" The trail of petals caught her eye and she steadily turned around only to receive another quick peck on the cheek before Ruby vanished in another flurry, leaving a trail behind as Weiss started to chase the fleeting figure, with her face practically aflame. "You insufferable little red, get back here!" Her memory jogged as she remembered the little shift their relationship had taken after the battle against team WYCH, she didn't really see Ruby often but it always was a very friendly and aggressively affectionate greeting. _We don't even date and she insists on pulling stunts like this! Why?_ After following the trail for a bit it disappeared, Weiss started looking around and stiffened when arms slid around her neck and hung down in a lazy hug.

"Hey Weiss, what's up?" Ruby said as she lightly nuzzled her cheek against Weiss' for a second. Weiss felt her embarrassment and frustrations start to leak out of her as she felt herself warmed by her partner, she settled for reaching up and giving a friendly chop with no force to the top of Ruby's head.

"You should've started with this you dolt, I don't like it when you pull stunts like that. Winter allowed me a temporary leave, I was starting to get bored until you showed up." Ruby pulled away from Weiss and turned her around with her hands still on her shoulders.

"I want to get the team back together!" She said elatedly pulling the Schnee into an even tighter hug.

"I'm confused, why? We're in a time of peace." Weiss said as she had to fight to breathe. Ruby replied in a conspiring whisper.

"You've heard the rumors? New grimm are starting to appear, like the custom horrors we fought on our way to Salem's base. Huntsmen and huntresses are disappearing, we need to prepare for another war." Ruby broke the hug and her voice took on a pleading tone, her volume rising back up to normal.

"Please Weiss, RWBY needs you, I need you." Weiss struggled and her voice stopped and started between yes and no. "It's alright, you don't have to decide right now, you're on leave right? So let's hang out!" Hugging Weiss' arm to her chest Ruby towed her friend around to some stores she had wanted to check out, also touring any dust and weapons shops, Weiss couldn't suppress a nostalgic smile, this was just like all those years ago at Beacon. _We've been through so much since then, I can't really imagine Ruby ever disappearing from my life entirely. That's what I love about her so much, someone like her stays forever in your heart._

The pair wandered around all through the afternoon as the sun began to set They sat on one of the heated benches but despite the warmth Ruby snuggled up to Weiss the memories of the quest of RNJR and the intensity of almost everyone dying in the battle against Salem's servants played through the mind of the leader. Ruby spoke softly almost drowsily into Weiss' ear. "You know, I didn't realize how much I cared about all of you, until you almost died. That's why I've stopped hiding my feelings from you, I was in love with you, and still am, because the reality is that any day could be our last with our line of work." Weiss smiled and turned her head slightly, pressing her lips against her partner's. _I'm not sure what we are to each other Ruby, but I don't mind the state we're in right now._ She was surprised when Ruby moved to deepen the kiss her hands circling around Weiss and pulling her closer. Weiss' breath hissed through her nose as she came in contact with Ruby's aura breaking the kiss abruptly. "Weiss?" Ruby said sounding confused at her. Weiss caught her breath for an instant before speaking again.

"Something's… off, about you… did something happen recently?" Weiss said, when her and Ruby's aura usually mingled during intimate moments it was fragrant like flowers, but now her aura had a void-like chill she found strange and unnerving. Ruby edged away to make her nervous partner a bit more comfortable. She looked down at her boots as her legs swung slightly off the edge of the bench.

"You noticed that huh? I'm sorry I should've told you, but since it's a part of me now I was hoping you wouldn't mind." Ruby's voice was small and worried.

"Ruby? What is it?" Ruby spoke quietly and sounded ashamed.

"I was looking over the loot we had gotten from Salem's base, the artifacts and stuff. There were a bunch of small little daggers there, I got curious and started examining them, there wasn't anything strange until I accidentally cut myself," A swirl of dark energy raced down her arm and manifested in the short weapon. "this thing bound itself to me, ever since it happened I feel like there's a small piece of me missing, not big enough that I would notice right away. The energy produced by my soul had changed, at least that's what the doctors said. But something else happened too, I got stronger, stronger than I've ever been." Weiss shook her head at her foolish partner.

"So your soul got injured because of your interest in _weapons?_ " Ruby groaned and blushed as the realization reoccurred to her.

"Stop it, it's not funny. I'm stuck forever like this. Honestly I don't really feel that bad, sometimes I get a bit more _into_ a fight than I did before but other than that I'm completely normal." Ruby drifted off and they sat together with a set distance between them before Ruby started to talk again. "I'm getting the team back together, we need to be stronger than ever, some of these things are bigger and smarter than any grimm we've fought." Ruby expertly flipped the knife to grasp it lightly by the blade, ignoring the dangerous edges. "Here, I don't want to be the only one who feels this way, Yang agreed to doing this too, we're all in this together, Yang is starting to look for Blake, so are you with us?" Weiss took the knife and glared down into the non-reflective blade. _Friends and allies, in blood as well as bond… kind of an old style, Remnant is at stake, and we need to be there for them, our enemies won't wait for us to prepare._ She took the knife in one hand and rested the blade against the palm of her other hand. _I hope she knows what she's doing._

There was a swift motion, a drop of blood and a flash of orange light, the drop of blood disappeared too. Ruby leaned back on the bench took a deep breath and sighed as she put her head on her hands to look up at the dark sky as snow started to fall illuminated by the lamp the bench was near. "It was nice seeing her again, I'm glad I got to see her before I could get down to business." After resting for a while Ruby got up and headed for the Schnee Manor. The hood on her cloak came up and her eyes shifted from silver to red at the prospect of the task that faced her now. Steadily her cloak faded from bright crimson to a dark carmine, before finally black like the night around her, black like the hide of a grimm.

Ren and the irrepressible Nora was actually rendered speechless as the reincarnation of their confirmed dead teammate introduced herself with that smile and that voice that was unmistakable. The first one to speak was Nora and she spluttered for half a second before giggling uncontrollably. The live wire managed to struggle out words between gales of laughter. "Here I was… hahaha… thinking you'd... pfff… moved on from Pyrrha!" Ren couldn't suppress a joking grin at Nora's antics before adding in his own opinion.

"It is hard to believe to say the least, but here you are in the flesh. I don't know how in Remnant you survived, but somehow you did." Nora dashed between the three of them and pulled them into a group hug, proclaiming that JNPR is back together again.

Early in the day the date started off with breakfast at RHOP, which was very satisfying despite Nora's claim that the pancakes were nowhere near as good as Ren's, then the team after a bit more traveling around noticed that there was a lake and there were boats for rent. They all spent a little bit to rent a decent sized boat and got ready to sail, dressed for the warm day in Mistral. The engine of the vessel hummed as Nora trailed her bare legs in the water on one side of the vessel. Jaune talked about his travels, the deserts of Vacuo, the tundras of Atlas also talking about the dates between him and Pyrrha as he steered the vessel, he picked up the simple controls quickly and was now working on the handling of the square pontoon vessel. He asked the Renora pair if they had heard anything from Ruby when he had left Patch. "No… I'd wish she'd call us though, I wouldn't mind hearing from them for more than a few months at a time." Nora said with a bit of frustration in her voice.

Lunch was an outdoor table at a coffee shop. They all sat around while watching Nora across the street run through the crowds of birds that landed in front of the benches expecting a handout from anyone who might be sitting there. Jaune and Pyrrha shared a knowing glance before Jaune started speaking again. "We missed you guys so much while we were traveling around. We kept having awkward moments where nothing really happened, so I suggested this double date would be a good thing for all of us."

"Well Jaune," Ren said gesturing to his teammate and the rest of JNPR "have we met your expectations, fearless leader?" Jaune stifled a snort and nodded.

"You most certainly have, this is the most fun I've ever had on a date, even with Pyrrha."

Dinner was satisfactory, the team didn't really speak much they just enjoyed each other's presence and feeling like they were back at the cafeteria in Beacon… although the food they were eating now was far better tasting. The team went for a stroll back to the hotel room where they would be staying with each other for the night, the arrangement wasn't all that different from the dorms in Beacon.

Jaune and Pyrrha rested for a while until they were sure the other pair had fallen asleep. Two pairs of eyes flashed red, two flickers of dark energy and two shadows slinking out from beneath the covers. Outside the windows of the room were lit with two flashes of orange fiery light.

Several hours later Jaune and Pyrrha were in bed staring at each other as the lust and hunger that surged when their eyes were red faded to a gentle blue and shining emerald colors, they smiled and cuddled now that they had the room to themselves they could do whatever they wanted until the morning.

A figure hooded in black haunted the grounds outside the property of the Schnee Manor, as the figure of the girl circled around she noted it was almost a castle, high walls, a couple of towers. Within the woman the beast stirred, she took a breath. Her clothing transformed, the structure of her body changed her hands became sharp claws her hood closed over her head and one half a skull on top of the hood and the bottom of the hood sealed and opened and shut in time with her breathing, her eyes glowing red allowed her to see through the slits of the skull like it was her own head. The half Beowulf noted a gap between the wall guard patrols. It rushed forward the breath of the beast releasing clouds of fog as the claws came out and aura surged through them. The claws dug into the wall easily as the shape ran up the wall on all fours. One of the sentries heard the sound of snarling breaths and approached the edge of the wall just in time for what looked like a Beowolf to plummet down onto him, his head was trapped between savage jaws and with a single powerful twist the soldier's neck broke with a quiet snap. The canine form shook the soldier like a rag before throwing him off the wall. The shape disappeared becoming a black streak of night along the wall top, a trail almost like black petals followed in the wake of the form.

A sentry saw the approach of the figure and only managed to fire one shot which seemed to be effortlessly dodged by the black mass of petals, splitting off and forming behind her. A scythe appeared hooked around her waist, the weapon discharged a shot of dark energy sending the blade ripping through her armor and bisecting the soldier. The shape used the momentum of the discharging sniper-scythe to hurl itself into furthering its blindingly fast assault on the wall top. The figure was far too fast and calculated to stop, each strike was perfectly placed, and ruthlessly efficient. The alert went to the entire manor of the intruder and a squad of atlesian soldiers and robotic knights. Headed by a woman wielding a dozen floating blades, the shape recognized the woman as a female synth, a machine with aura, orange hair, freckles, green eyes, but the body type was different, taller, more mature. _She'd been upgraded since I saw her last, unfortunately machines with aura hold no place in the grand design, sorry Penny._

The figure zipped past the PENNY unit and mulched the group of soldiers and machines behind her too fast to get a clear shot with her energy rays. The figure blurred past her to stop between Penny and the entrance to the manor. The red eyes of the grimm faded but the scythe stayed drawn as Penny remained locked onto the interloper, it wasn't taking an aggressive stance so there was still a chance to speak or at least detain motives from this creature. The skull part attached to the hood flipped back revealing the familiar face of Ruby to Penny. The hilt of the scythe was bedded into the ground while Ruby smiled and closed her eyes and called out. "Penny!" Her arms spread to receive a tackling hug from the synth. Penny's IFF had roused suspicions of this person as hostile. But over the course of her existence, the destruction of her first body, and the refit of her current one her memories were the same. Ruby was still under the classification of 'friend'. But her first reflex to run up and hug her friend were countermanded by her threat identification system, her 'friend' was still armed and had just committed homicide.

"Ruby… what is wrong with you?" Penny asked her tone of voice between commanding and kindly. "Why are you killing people? You are supposed to be a huntress." Ruby smiled awkwardly and rubbed the back of her head as she responded to her former friend's questions.

"Well, there isn't anything really wrong with me… in fact I'm better than I've ever been before; Stronger, faster, all kinds of things. Nobody's aware of the possibility of someone like me existing. As for being a huntress, I guess I still am, but the targets I'm hunting have changed recently." Penny sensed the aggression in that statement as Ruby reached for Crescent Rose again.

"Are we still friends?" The android said as her weapons prepared to deploy. Ruby stopped and started in response, like she was arguing with herself between what she wanted to say before sighing.

"I'm not sure where this leaves us, but how about this? It's up to you to decide, let me pass and be my friend, or be my enemy and fight me. I know your programming says to stop me, but in your memories you still want to be my friend, we can still be friends, you haven't even heard my full side of the story." Ruby said as she started to walk in a circle to go around Penny, the android circled back to block her path as her voice took a sharper edge.

"Father says that I can be my own person now, and I wanted to be like you Ruby, I became a huntress, and it is not my programming, it is my duty to protect Whitely Schnee from those who would do him harm. I protect because it is something I _want_ to do. Not programmed into me." Ruby closed the gap, Crescent Rose folded up and halted a few feet away from Penny.

"So there's no more strings?" Ruby smiled and her eyes were shining almost like she was about to cry. "I'm… so happy for you Penny, so happy, seriously. I wanted to inspire other hunters by becoming a huntress. This is just too precious, and you're free now you're that much closer to being human like I was." Penny tilted her head at her friend's words.

"Was? Then what are you now?" Ruby's tears dried immediately and a grin that was cheerful but for the wrong reasons spread across her face.

"Something new, something better, not human, not grimm and all the world will know this feeling. I am how humanity wins the war against the grimm, the monsters don't attack me, I don't need to fear them anymore. If all humans were like me there would be no need to fear the grimm anymore, the world would be at peace. Isn't that what a huntress is supposed to seek?" As she spoke she slowly edged closer. _Maybe I don't have to kill her, maybe I can use her logic-based mind to convince her._ "You're more than just human Penny, just like me. You think nuts and bolts, or a bit of grimm stuff instead of squishy guts makes us any less human? You and I still have a heart, and a soul." Penny's stance relaxed, her eyes were open but were staring absently, then she blinked rapidly and looked around seeming to remember Ruby was standing there.

"You are correct Ruby, but humans have rules they should follow. Including laws against murder, we are still friends so like any good friend in relation to the bad decisions of friend Ruby I'm going to stage an… intervention." Ruby jumped back as Penny's swords abruptly deployed, linking together small beams of energy were released from the backs of the blades. Ruby's semblance kept her ahead of the beams but Penny could track her location easily. Crescent rose came out as her semblance disengaged she fired several sniper shots as she moved, some of the beam blades disengaged and formed a roving shield that also followed Ruby's moves. Penny's voice was calm despite battling furiously. "You don't need to fight me Ruby, just hold still so I can capture you and bring you in." Ruby closed the gap and brought her scythe in an upward swing, Penny took a perfectly calculated backwards step to avoid it. The blades pulled back and with a slight gesture circled around Penny's body into an upward slash that caught Ruby along her torso as her scythe missed. The blades clanged off of Ruby's aura like a bell, sending the half-grimm flying. Ruby spun sideways and landed on her feet, the snow on the ground building up behind her boots as she skidded slightly. She set back to circling, her aura filling her and preventing herself from getting tired as the endurance of the high speed encirclement risked taking a toll on her. _Her defense and offense are perfect, her mind still lacks the flexibility of a human, so there's likely to be some delay to quick-change tactics._ She kept up the pacing until Penny started leading her shots, before suddenly engaging her semblance and dashing in the opposite direction, in a rapidly closing spiral. She landed a single devastating slash with aura, and the power of the beast, Ruby could catch Penny's aura visibly spark from the impact of her weapon. She could smell victory move closer, she could sense the weakness in her opponent's aura from that blow. The expression on Penny's face showed that she realized how much damage she had taken as well.

 _Alert, defensive aura barrier at fifty percent. Each strike carries deadly force, even touching the blade might cause severe damage I must remain vigilant and proceed with caution, I cannot tell how much of my friend's aura is left._ Penny started chasing the black rose around the courtyard, doing her best to avoid being circled around behind again, three blades circled around and she launched them forward forcing Ruby to kill her momentum to avoid being slashed by the rotating set of swords. She rolled in the opposite direction and fired a shot as four blades merged into a single long weapon that Penny wielded in her hand like an actual sword. She held the flat of the blade up and deflected the sniper fire, before lunging forward in a downward slash that Crescent Rose had enough time to fold out and block with the shaft of the weapon, Ruby twisted her legs and used the momentum to turn the blade aside and flip to her feet. Penny let her weapon go and leaned back as the hooked blade of the scythe came close to trapping her by the neck. The force of her leaning back carried her into a backwards handspring. Ruby brought the barrel of her rifle up to hit Penny mid flip but saw a pair of blades link up and aim at her with an energy beam. She used the head of Crescent Rose as a pole to vault clear of the beam and fired so she bounced herself into the air. Penny saw the movement and lightning calculations rushed through her mind, taking in mass, momentum and gravity. Her blades rushed towards her and started spinning in a circle glowing with green energy. She watched closely to make sure her friend hadn't managed to load another shot to change her direction in the air. The sphere of energy from the megacannon was unleashed as Ruby's momentum stalled, mid plunging attack there was a flash as a massive beam of dust energy came surging towards her.

Ruby disappeared in the blast, to reappear standing on the ground behind Penny, the female synth felt strange, she was losing power, her proximity sensor indicated there was someone behind her, she felt her body hit the ground. Her sensors were numb she felt impact, she checked her aura levels, they were suddenly reading zero she glanced down and suddenly saw that there was a perfect diagonal cut from her shoulder, all the way down to her waist. _I made an error, she could use her semblance to change direction in the air, I was mostly blinded by my own attack, she dodged… closed in, and… attacked._

"Ru… by, why?" Penny did not know why she was asking this question, Ruby had fully explained herself earlier, and Penny decided to be a good friend and attempt to help her see what she was doing is wrong. She could sense the emergency shutdown to preserve memory approaching, she'd felt it a few times, it was like losing consciousness. She blinked slowly as the black clad Ruby approached her defeated friend. She knelt down and rested her hand comfortingly on the ginger android's head.

"I'm sorry Penny, but Whitely is a bad man, and he has to face justice for some of the things he's done." Ruby remembered the venom in the words she had received the order to terminate the leader of SDC. Penny's arm still linked to her partially functioning torso reached out as darkness started to flicker along the edges of her vision. Dimly she felt a hand grasp hers another second she was hoisted upright and hugged she blinked and looked over to see that tears were coming down the face of her friend. _Don't cry friend…_ Then the human thought processes ceased as the emergency shutdown went into effect and the android went limp, her mechanical pupils dilated as the visual adjustment systems went offline. Ruby put the torso of Penny down and steadily used her fingers to close the eyes of the android. She felt angry at herself for what she had to do, but was more frustrated at the grand design of the future, but swiftly found she was furious at humanity. _Why did they make a war machine out of a little girl!? I hate them, I hate all the humans! I have to show them the right way, and show them what happens if you manage to anger a grimm._ Her breathing became ragged, hoarse, snarling breaths, her eyes flashed red and glowed with fury, her hood came up on its own the half-grimm unleashed a howl full of pain, sorrow, sadness, and wrath. The freezing cold snow on the ground seemed to recede from sheer terror of the sound. There was a burst as the werewolf surged towards the doorway of Schnee manor, it had been closed and barred during the clash with Penny, but the impact of the full- bodied charge sent the whole thing careening off its hinges. No mere mortal could stop the tide of blood and destruction that had formerly been Ruby Rose.

Soon enough she found her way to the roof, there had been a small personal airship docked there, Crescent Rose flashed out and blew apart the engines with a few precise shots. She hid in the shadows as several crew stumbled out of the burning vehicle. Whitely seemed furious and terrified, Ruby could smell the fear, it made her blood boil with excitement, the skull of the grimm opened slightly and a black tongue licked its chops. She took a deep breath and the hood fell back revealing the face of Ruby once again. Her strides were unhurried as she approached the crew of the airship who moved to protect Whitely. Her Scythe spun lazily as it deflected bullets fired at her, her aura coated the blade as she swung a powerful two handed blow, a blade of aura mowed down the crew of the airship in a single burst of gore. Whitely's face was utter panic before he took a deep breath and started speaking, his tone was calm as he desperately attempted to talk his way out of this deadly bind.

"I know you… you're Ruby Rose, what's the hero who fought Salem doing slaughtering my loyal workers? You're a huntress, someone had to hire you, because seeking vengeance for the little inconveniences I've caused my big sister isn't like you in the least. Why are you doing this?" Ruby steadily walked forward Crescent rose dragging along behind her with a menacing scraping sound.

"Not for Weiss, or for me, I've heard the stories of all the lives Schnee Dust Company has ruined, and I am fed up with it. I'll take apart this company, starting with you." Her eyes flashed red as the blade of her scythe straightened and she flipped the weapon around to point at Whitely as she charged. A gun flashed up and he narrowly avoided getting skewered by the scythe. The gun went off twice Ruby's head jerked side-to-side as she narrowly avoided the point-blank gunfire. The scythe came around and hooked one of Whitely's legs tripping him and almost knocking him off the roof. He landed heavily on his back and looked up to find himself staring down the barrel of Ruby's rifle. There was a loud bang and Ruby turned her back on the body of the younger brother of Weiss. Feeling a surge of anger and regret she began lighting fires inside the building, with most of the servants caught in her rampage nobody was available to put out the flames and they started to spread unchecked.

She descended the steps of the burning manor to the courtyard and as she passed the stalled body of Penny she knelt down using the blade of her scythe she cut the strings off of two of Penny's swords, she set Crescent Rose down and hefted the two weapons, she looked at her scythe, it had felt heavier and more clumsy than usual, like her body wasn't properly suited to wield it despite conditioning she had spent most of her life enforcing, it was her sweetheart and constant companion through countless battles, but she didn't feel _one_ with Crescent Rose anymore, she felt saddened, almost as much as when she had to destroy Penny, but it was time to move on. She hooked the two blades together and stowed them in the holster she had used for Crescent Rose, leaving her scythe standing, buried point first in the snow and pavement of the courtyard, discarded and useless to her now. Ashes joined the gently drifting snow, turning the clean white flakes grey and black.


	19. Part 4 Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Birds of a feather

It had been a decent passage of time before a crow flew into the city of Mantle, on the roof of one of the tall buildings another blackbird with specks of white on its wingtips watched the approach of the grizzled old bird. The crow circled the spire where the bright raven was perched; the pair of dark-feathered birds took off and flew towards the edge of the town. They shifted back into human form they weren't really past the borders of Mantle, just in an abandoned district when the city had attempted to expand too far, a signpost had the word 'Winterspell' on it. Qrow noted the location as he turned around and his son landed with a crunch in the snow behind him.

"Hey there pops, it's been a while huh?" Qrow looked around like he was worried about someone watching them, he sidled over to his son and pulled him into a professional hug with only one arm as the old bird spoke.

"I almost drank myself to death about five times when I first heard you had disappeared after that explosion, and damn near had an equal amount of heart-attacks from my tab. It's great to have you back Betram." Betram's chill blue eyes like Winter's smiled and sparkled slightly.

"It's great to be back dad." Qrow took his arm from his son's shoulders, then cuffed him on the back of his head as his voice took on a tone a bit more like a concerned parent.

"Now boy, where've you been? What kind of place would get you to vanish for over five years? I feel like if you weren't dead you'd at least _try_ to get some kind of help." Betram paced a little bit as he spoke.

"When I disappeared I was being hunted by something, a creature of nightmare, I was quite sure it was something Salem created herself. In the explosion I managed to slip away and get as much distance between me and that beast as possible. So out in the wilds, far away from any civilization I started training, I needed to get stronger to fight that thing. I also started practicing my semblance, mostly my summoning. Look at what I've got now!" A black glyph spun rapidly as he placed the tip of his dust sword against the ground. A huge shape emerged from it, a massive goliath made the ground shake as it stomped and trumpeted. "I would love to see one of those monsters try to take on this!" Betram called out elatedly with a little dance waving his sword. Qrow restrained laughing at the antics of his excitable son.

"I'm impressed son, but is that all you've gotten? Surely after all these years you've killed more than a single Goliath, right?" Betram got a mischievous expression as he replied to his father.

"Oh yes I have." Three more Goliaths appeared alongside the first one. "These are just the biggest prizes I've taken, I've got a lot more. I've also got enough practice to summon almost an entire army to do whatever I want at once." Qrow pulled out his flask and took a sip in surprise before responding.

"I've lost count of my own grimm a long time ago, you're pretty good son. I've never seen Winter bring out one of those things." His tone dropped to a mutter as he mentioned his ex. "So kiddo, what did you want to bring me out here for? What's this special information?"

Betram nodded and headed for one of the buildings that was slightly less worn out and pitched over, Qrow followed his son down a staircase to the basement of the abandoned structure. There was another winding set of stairs that lead even further down to another door.

"Alright pops, this is the place I had information about, Salem has been hiding out here for the longest time, words don't do the justice of the things I've seen down there, hell I almost lost my mind as soon as I saw it. Also last time I had to fight through one of her monstrosities to escape, you go ahead, I'll cover you." They both went through the door to a dark passage Betram turned and faced the doorway to the surface with his hand on his sword. Qrow proceeded further down the passage and saw dim light ahead as he approached the light he heard noises, howling, roaring, and other strange sounds that echoed through the passage like there was a whole army of grimm in the cave. He came out onto a large stone ledge overlooking a panorama straight out of a nightmare. It was just like the dark continent, except without the red sun. The tainted stone was a smooth purple crystalline substance, the terrible place was lit by a malevolent dark red light from no visible source, there was a seething mass of dark, monstrous shapes in a mindless orgy of destructive malice whirling claws, piercing red eyes, and sharp, slavering mouths. More twisted pseudo-animalistic forms crawled their way slowly from the pits, oozing blackness from their abominable forms to join the swarm of grimm as unidentifiable sounds echoed around the cave with seemingly infinite volume. Qrow wasn't one of the few who had seen the dark continent and how the grimm were spawned. He managed to keep himself steady but tremors went through his hand as he pulled out his flask and chugged almost all of it in a few swigs, if only to help him contain his sanity at the sight of a building at the center of the swirling mass of glowing eyes and whirling claws.

He suddenly felt an uncanny presence like something was watching him, it was like his vision had suddenly zoomed in on the upper windows of the church-like structure with high steeples and dark stone walls, revealing a mortifying visage of the being that brought the name to his mind even though he had never seen her in person. _Salem!_ He started to turn and start running when someone bumped into him, he didn't realize he was standing so close to the edge of the cliff. He stumbled with a yelp of utter surprise and terror, mindless, maddening dread filled his thoughts, the fear became even more potent when he realized that he might make the grimm aware of his presence as he teetered on the verge of falling off the cliff, he made another mistake, his vision was pulled downwards, a pit of infinite blackness lay below him, one of the pools the grimm were spawning from. He started to fall he reached out desperately for something, anything to prevent him from falling into the hellscape. The hand of his son shot out and grasped Qrow. The eyes of the veteran huntsman widened as he felt the unique feeling of impending doom, the only indication of his passive semblance triggering. The stones beneath the feet of Betram abruptly shifted as he lost his footing sending father and son plunging over the edge.

In a flurry of black feathers Betram transformed into his bright raven form, Qrow's recovering nerves reminded him that he could do the same. A pair of blackbirds flew out of the pit, rushing up the passage to the daylight again, Qrow landed heavily and rested his hands on his knees as he recovered his breath, closing his eyes and turning towards the sun feeling it's slight warmth, like a sleeper waking from a nightmare to the shining dawn. _I have to tell Oscar, Salem herself is down there!_ He reached for his scroll, but it wasn't there, he felt like his semblance had triggered. _Did I lose it in the fall? Where is it?!_

Betram noticed what his father was looking for and pulled out half of Qrow's scroll that had 'accidentally' broken. "I don't think it's usable dad." Qrow's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Why do you have my scroll? How did you get it?" Betram shrugged, Qrow snarled silently as he put his hand on his massive slab of a sword. "You almost pushed me off the cliff, then you save me and now you broke my scroll when I needed to get info out. What's your game, kid?" Suddenly he got a static feeling like just before a lightning bolt strikes. _He said he had important information, he showed me that place, and made it so I can't tell Oscar about it, those new monsters, they seem almost humanoid, Betram is one of those shape shifters!_ Lightning struck and Qrow's sword flashed out.

"So you aren't my son then. You're one of those things, those half-grimm." Betram shrugged.

"It's not all that bad, the grimm don't attack me anymore, if all the humans were like me we wouldn't have a reason to fight the grimm, everyone could live peacefully. I know from experience that you've got a bit more of an open mind than a lot of people, you and Raven so maybe me explaining this would help you change your mind? Both your nieces have had this gift placed upon them, it can even perform miracles. Ruby told me she saw Summer Rose, alive and in the flesh." The sword that had been pointed at Betram wavered and lowered slightly as the impact of what he just heard hit Qrow like a moving car. _Ruby, Yang, Summer, Betram, all of them are these creatures?_ Betram stepped a bit closer, still out of reach of Qrow's weapon. "You see father? Even if you manage to kill me you can't change or stop what's happening, without you risking your life every day you can be the father you always wanted to be. I don't want to fight you dad, Summer wants to get the team back together, I want you and Winter back together, so we can be a true family, with no one leaving to possible death every single day." Qrow's weapon lowered more as he heard the sincerity of the admission of his son. Betram stepped closer as he continued to speak. "I love you both, we were all so happy together, but after the divorce I could tell you've been in a lot of pain but listen. With this blessing, you can change your semblance, you don't have to bring misfortune anymore." Qrow's face fractured a little bit of cautious hope started to appear.

"This thing can do that?" Betram nodded as he moved to arm's reach of his father.

"I always wondered what you'd be like if you stopped drinking entirely, can I find out?" A swirling of dark energy brought out a black dagger and he held it out to Qrow handle first. "Give yourself a cut on the edge of this blade and change your life, change your semblance so you can finally live without fear of harming those you care about." As Betram spoke Qrow started to reach for the blade, images of all the moments he had missed with Ruby and Yang, Summer getting killed all those years ago from his damned semblance, his fear of his power harming Betram and Winter, all the accidents he had caused just by being near someone. _I guess I'll have to work a lot harder whenever I fight without my semblance. I just hope this works._ The old bird took up the knife, and slit the skin of his thumb. Qrow's eyes widened at the intensity of the pain such a small cut would give him. Before flashing to orange cinders and blowing away. He woke up and found that he was standing in a cage in one of the rooms of the tainted stone church. He felt the bars, they were metal not stone, after looking around for a few moments he shook the bars and called out. "Hello? Is anyone here?" The ghostly pale visage of Salem glided into the room. She seemed to be in the midst of adjusting her hair.

"Oh, so you were the one I could sense from my bedchamber, I had considered enjoying myself a little and taking up chase myself, but here you are nonetheless." Qrow suppressed a smirk as a feeling of impending doom made a chill go up his spine. _I could use this as a chance, I still have my sword._

"So you're Salem…" Qrow paused and finished the last of his flask before continuing. "yeah about that, my son told me that whatever in the gods' name you did to him you could use it to change my semblance. Well, can you?" The complex and sprawling hairstyle of the horrible beauty became complete as she spoke and clasped her hands at waist height in a businesslike gesture.

"My blessing can be capable of anything, Qrow Branwen, I brought back Summer Rose, the girl you cared for so much in your younger years. Ruby seemed more than happy to see her mother again." Qrow nodded.

"Yeah Betram outlined it to me, but a quick question can it really bring peace between grimm and humans?" Qrow leaned against the bars of the cage and felt one of them budge slightly. He mentally thanked his semblance for giving him this opportunity. He slowly wrapped his fingers around it as he stared pensively at the floor of the cage.

"Yes, once my blessing is granted to all the soul-bearing beings of Remnant the grimm and the humans will no longer have reason to fight each other. The grimm will just be work animals that follow the orders of the half-grimm without question." Qrow's aura gathered around his hand.

"If you really do want to help humanity then I guess you shouldn't be around to control the half grimm, hmm?" Salem looked confused and slightly surprised as Qrow suddenly heaved and the bar was wrenched free of the cage. He leaped through the opening as the floor of the cage dropped away to the pit of dark sludge behind him. His massive sword extended to its full length as he drew and attacked with the weapon in a single move. Salem's eyes flashed red as she brought her hand up. Her pitch-dark fingernails extended slightly and she blocked the blade, her other hand grew talons as well and shot forward. They easily pierced Qrow's aura and pulled him close. The hand that blocked the blade also slid forward and twisted the wrist of the huntsman, forcing him to drop his weapon, her movements were slow and supple despite being far too fast for the aged huntsman. She pulled his arm in and withdrew her talons, his aura healed up his wounds quickly as Salem held him close. His body seemed to seize up like his aura itself was hindering his movement. She stroked his hair, dead hands sending sinister chills along his entire body.

"Now now, there's no need for that, Shhh. You're by far the most entertaining person I had imprisoned here. A little bit of excitement to the monotony of slowly spreading my blessing through the veins of trust among the teams that have wronged me and destroyed my valuable slaves then suddenly someone forcing me to use my semblance on them. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to indulge myself in such a strong-willed being like you, all this sudden excitement has made me rather hungry." Qrow was struggling to breathe beneath the crushing paralysis his muscles tensed but his shoulders refused to budge and his elbows wouldn't bend. While she kept a grip on Qrow's wrist she reached up to her style of hair and pulled out a few of the pins. The spectral white hair flowed down like a brief avalanche most of the way down her back.

Qrow felt a searing pain in his wrist where she had a grip on him as she hung her arm over his other shoulder. She made a soft noise of pleasure as he felt cold and numbness start to spread from his wrist and along his entire body. She closed her eyes and leaned her head in the crook of his neck as her knees became weak. He could feel hot and heavy breaths flow over his shoulder and down his back. From the parts of her Qrow could see, the ghastly visage regained some color, the black veins faded from view, the hair became a kind of yellowish silver like a platinum blond and he could feel the form of Salem start to produce a comforting level of body heat that almost made him forget about the draining presence on his aura. She pulled back and looked at him, the fractures on her face were gone her burning red eyes were replaced with sparkling blue eyes and a small smile with perfectly white teeth. She gave another small shudder and the eyes almost rolled back into her head before closing in bliss, she leaned slowly towards him and kissed him on the lips as he could feel his aura being drained away. The second of contact stretched for eternity before she stepped back keeping one hand on his wrist as she ran her finger along her lips. The drain stopped as she pondered her actions aloud.

"Mmm… that actually felt most pleasant, it has been so long since I've taken another's aura for my own, or since I've had contact like that. You've earned your wish huntsman, the grimm transformation will change your semblance permanently, and I'll be needing you for another experiment soon Qrow." She backed him up to the cage he had escaped, detaching her hand from his wrist she pushed him backwards, the paralysis wore off just before he hit the sludge, it climbed and clung to him but he was far too exhausted to resist the cloying blackness.

Salem turned and looked out the window but instead of looking outside she concentrated and found her reflection, she smiled. _I'm saving humanity, maybe I can take a bit more of an active role in the near future._ Salem ran her fingers through her hair as she went back into her bedchamber. The kiss had stirred something she had almost completely forgotten about, an aspect of her as a being with a soul, instead of just an apex grimm. _Things are going well so far, I might actually be able to enjoy myself. My pawns also have aura now, so perhaps I could indulge in them as well, it would be an interesting and highly enjoyable experiment._

Almost an hour later a figure burst out of the pit, black wings unfurled and carried him up onto the ledge where the cage was, Salem came into the antechamber to meet him. Taking a knee and lowering his head he waited for her to speak, the grimm to receive the first order from the queen. Her cheeks carried a slight blush as she placed her hand underneath the chin of the grizzled human face, lifting him into a standing position. She pulled her hand away leaving her slightly pointed index finger to trace along the underside of his chin into a beckoning gesture. "Come with me." She ordered. Qrow nodded and as he followed the queen a grin crept over his face as he was getting a feeling of what was going to happen next as the memory of Salem kissing him re-emerged.

"Aren't you gonna let me take you out to dinner and a dance? Or at least buy you a drink?" He said with a slight chuckle. She refused to show him but Salem was smiling at the way Qrow was shamelessly attempting to flirt with her, it was charming, and more than a little humorous given his situation. _Maybe these emotions are coming from the human aura, pleasure, happiness, a sense of humor, but I can still feel the beast, the singular will of bringing delicious fear, suffering, and destruction, it's like an instinct far ingrained beneath my skin my true core beneath the superficial aura. Do all of my pawns feel like this?_ She pondered as the pair entered the bedchamber and the door swung closed behind them.

Oscar paced in his office at Beacon he held a conversation within himself. "I'm getting a very bad feeling about this, Oz." The calm voice of the spirit merged with him replied with a concerned tone. _I am slightly nervous as well, what could Qrow be doing? He hasn't contacted us for several weeks._

Like a charm the scroll of the headmaster of Beacon buzzed with only a text message. "I'm back in Vale, we'll talk soon. –Q" Oscar heard the voice in his mind sigh. _Leave it to Qrow to always hide the details until he arrives in person._ Oscar nodded but replied to the spirit. "Seems that way, but to me that urge to keep secrets and the little bit of paranoia is what makes him a good scout right?" _Yes of course, but often it's quite inconvenient and forces a great deal of our patience. We can't contact the others without information, several leads point to somewhere on the northern continent. With the summer maiden disappearing the signs are all there that Salem is on the move again._

"Yeah at the rate things are going we have to find her before she gets too powerful, then we can take her out permanently right?"

 _Exactly, she's one of the few things that make the grimm a true menace to humanity, the driving force of chaos and destruction on Remnant, defeating Salem won't solve all the problems, but we will be taking a first step in the right direction._

Several hours later Oscar received a call from someone as he saw the elevator to his office light up likely bringing Qrow with his information. He answered the phone. "Beacon Academy, this is Headmaster Oscar." He paused for the person on the other end of the line to speak. The voice of Ozpin's granddaughter came from the phone, Oscar started paying actual attention now.

"This is Cassandra Deus from Haven Academy I have concerning news relating to these new strange grimm, and links with disappearances of esteemed huntsmen and huntresses." Oscar's eyes widened.

"You're serious? What do you have?" The Headmistress paused and Oscar heard a muted conversation off to the side of the phone.

"I have several witnesses say that these grimm can shapeshift into fully human forms, Betram Branwen had been taken by these half-grimm five years ago, also we've found a pattern with the disappearances of the huntsmen and huntresses. They all interact with other members of their team or people with close relationships with them. Betram Branwen, the son of your field agent might be one of them." Oscar looked up and saw the door to the elevator slide open.

"Might be? Are you sure, because I have Qrow here right now from his scouting mission on the northern continent and he has some important information of his own to add to this." The voice of a young man suddenly barged into the call, forcing him to move the phone away from his ear as the voice shouted into the receiver.

"What?! Get out of there right now Oz! Qrow's a grimm, he's going to kill you!"

"Hey boss." Qrow said, Oscar quickly closed his scroll and slowly reached for Ozpin's cane as he addressed Qrow.

"Hello my friend, do you have anything of value to report from Atlas and Mantle?" Qrow shrugged as he strides over to Oscar's desk.

"Reports are so dull, but this time I've got something words won't do justice for, I'm gonna have to show you." Qrow reached back as though to grab his scroll, suddenly a black dagger shot from his hand at Oscar. His brow furrowed and his aura snapped into place, Ozpin's cane whipped up and sent the knife flying so it was buried in the reinforced glass window of the office.

"I'm afraid you'll have to settle for using your words this time." Oscar stood from his chair and circled between Qrow and the dagger, Qrow also circled steadily, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Would you kindly divulge what brought on this sudden urge to attack me old friend? I don't care about who as much as why someone wants me dead." Qrow gave a little sigh and his stance relaxed.

"It was a miracle, somehow my semblance is changed, I don't bring misfortune by simply being near someone anymore, I can love my family, I don't have to risk my life slaying grimm every day for the rest of my life, I owe that person everything. Including my life and loyalty until this gift has been repaid." Oscar pointed with the cane.

"I'm quite sure you've already paid enough." Qrow's sword extended and he rested the weapon over his shoulder, he scoffed a little.

"Well, maybe but if I get something like this I would pay any price to get it nonetheless. I'm a huntsman, I fight for a cause greater than myself, for profit." Qrow seemed to grow tense as his stance lowered into a fighting position. "You should really consider the benefits of something like this, a world where humans no longer need to fear grimm, where they're free to do whatever they want and free to express themselves, be happy, sad, or afraid as much as they want. Negative feelings won't be a catalyst for mayhem and destruction, they'll become just that… feelings." Oscar's voice spoke with a more serious and slightly deeper tone as he voiced the thoughts of Ozpin.

"A world where friends can turn around to be enemies, where the deepest bonds of trust are used as a means to manipulate control and deceive all because of the will of one being, humanity will be nothing more than slaves, you think you're free but you've tethered yourself to something and I know Salem is behind what happened to you, but I'm not going to kill you, I'm not a monster who hunts and kills beings with a soul." Oscar's voice shifted back to his tone as he added in his own thoughts to the spectral presence that was part of him. "That doesn't sound like a Remnant anyone would want to live on, we _will_ stop her." Ozpin and Oscar spoke almost like it was a battle cry. "And we _will_ find a way to save you Qrow!"

The two huntsmen disappeared as they dashed towards each other, blade and cane crashing together with enough force to push back the desk in the office and make the windows shake as though a small explosion went off in the office.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** **Suddenly you're on the edge of a cliff! The call Oscar/Ozpin recieved will come into play later, I'm caught up on my story now but still.**

 **BYST shall return.**


	20. Part 5 Chapter 1

Part 5: Meanwhile…

Chapter 1

Back at Haven

Months before the Rose/Xiao Long/Branwen family meeting it was just another day in class, it was a requirement for students to keep their equipment in top condition so there was effectively a day off for weapon maintenance, modification and a chance for students to buy Dust for any of their specialized tools for battle. Bastille took an old fashioned approach, he found an electric grind wheel he took to sharpening the blade of Gold Horn, after feeling the sharpness he nodded in satisfaction. The grimy professional weapon smith Kullo Vulcanis presiding over the operation spotted the odd boy.

"It's been a while since I've seen a unique weapon that doesn't have a transformation. Can you even fight with that thing?" Bastille nodded and hooked the weapon onto his arm.

"Yep, my Gold Horn needs a fighting style all her own." The smith looked over at the blaster gauntlet lying on the table.

"What about that weapon there? That's a lot more like the ones I commonly see."

"It's just a trinket I picked up at a weapon shop, I didn't forge it myself. It was a piece of junk on the discount shelf I modified and improved it, now it's fires strong enough blasts to blow the head off a giant nevermore and tough enough shatter the skull of a boarbatusk in a single blow. I didn't make it myself that's why I never gave it a name." As Bastille gave his calculated answer he pondered why he never considered the gauntlet a part of him like Gold Horn and the unicorn fighting style that seemed to come naturally to him. _Maybe it was because I picked it up out of necessity, maybe it's not personal enough to earn a name. I doubt all the military rifles have their own names so maybe I view it as something like that._ Kullo picked up the gauntlet and turned it over in his hands.

 _I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, but this thing is a technical marvel! An incredible amount of power output with little to no dust consumption, also stable enough to be swung with incredible amounts of force and not ruin the circuitry or detonate the dust charges with the force of the impacts… how in hell did that kid make this out of a piece of junk? I'm the school's weapon smith and even I can't pull stuff like this off._

Kullo narrowed his eyes with a mixture of suspicion and jealousy, Bastille sensed the smith analyzing him and behaved like he forgot Kullo was there, Bastille now checking the lines of his weapon, the straightness of the blade, the slight convex curve of the shield part of Gold Horn, running his fingers around the cautiously rounded edges of the disk. Bastille kept his back to the blacksmith and practiced maneuvers with his weapon until he was sure the smith lost interest and left to go check on the maintenance of the other student's equipment.

Shin was using a big metal wedge that had been placed on the floor to test the balancing areas of his Mardkhora javelins, measuring carefully he managed to work it so that all his weapons were balanced at exact center. "Very meticulous, I like it young Krosis." Pausing in attaching a crosstree part of the way up his heavy spear he waved to the smith.

"Thank you sir!" The third member of BYST went back to work sanding and sharpening the crosstrees. _Now it's got a bit more than just weight over the throwing javelins, I can slash with the blade far more effectively now. I can also use the crosstrees to hook and throw around my opponents even if I can't recall my other two javelins._

Kullo moved on when suddenly a girl approached him, she matched the description of Helena Windsor, the second member of CHEQ. "Mr. Vulcanis, I need your help making a decision." She pulled out her Queen's Gambit and held it out to him, the smith looked at her with a raised eyebrow silently before she explained herself. "I really feel like I should change something about my weapon, if there was any disadvantage to my weapon would you please tell me so I can try to fix it?" He nodded and took the weapon in the dust wand form he checked to see if there was any buildup of dust but it had been cleaned recently. He found a switch and the long estoc bade popped out as the wheel of dust was pulled back inside and protected. He swung the weapon experimentally with one hand before having the blade retract and handing it back to her.

"I could easily picture this weapon being able to slash as well as stab, you can't really follow through from a stab into any attack chains, you pin everything on landing one solid hit, which is fine in a lot of cases as long as you can land it, but… looking at that you get the blade stuck in your target every so often don't you?" Helena remembered some of the slight hiccups when fighting a large group of grimm with the entire squad at once.

"Yeah, it does sometimes."

"Then you need to make that weapon so that if you stab something you can cut your way out of it into another strike, you'll have to learn proper sword technique though, since you're asking my suggestion let me show you my idea." Kullo went into a different room than where all the students were working on their equipment, the fingers of the blacksmith flashed over the screen of his scroll with a free drawing tool as he quickly sketched a design for the blade of Queen's Gambit. He hooked it up to a projector in the abandoned classroom and put the image on the wall. The blade was a straight, single edged weapon, as wide as the base of the estoc blade currently part of the Gambit, the length of the new blade would be identical as well. The tip of the sword was a sharp angle, effectively the blade was similar to a katana except instead of a slight curve the weapon was a straight edge. The tip of the blade had a hard angle that formed a right triangle with the rest of the weapon, fine enough to be effective for stabbing. The blade of Queen's Gambit would be able to both slash and thrust. "I'll be more than happy to reforge your weapon for you, unless you wanna do it yourself." Kullo said after outlining the blade design. The second member of team CHEQ pondered.

"I really want to Mr. Vulcanis, but I didn't actually forge my weapon, it was a gift, so I've never crafted anything with a weapon forge before. If that's alright, would you help me?" The smith nodded, charmed by the girl's devotion to her weapon even though she didn't make it herself. He taught her how to heat up steel and for how long, how to hit it to avoid getting sparks on her, get a beaten edge while it's still hot to prevent the weapon from being dulled easily, forging pins to link it into the mechanism in Queen's Gambit. After a few hours of work and her learning how to fold steel to make a blade able to last a hundred battles she started a test, she manually pushed the blade back in to her weapon. The dust wheel came out and she spun it slightly. She flipped a trigger and with a loud snap the blade popped out she took a fighting stance, stabbing and slashing the air a few times. _I could also use my semblance to stab as well as slash in the same instant._ She waved goodbye as the smith moved on to check up with other students.

Back in the city of Mistral a dust shop found the door lightly booted open by a girl carrying two large cases. She dragged them along with the wheels on them rumbling over the tile floor to the front desk. An employee greeted her cheerfully. "Hello, welcome to Savra's!" She wheeled her two large cases up to the desk and greeted in response, her hand dipped into her pocket and brought up her Haven ID.

"Hello, I'd like some Dust please I heard this place gives discounts to students right?" The assistant nodded with a smile on his face.

"So you're a student, that's very good, would you like to view our combo dust specials, what are you looking for?" Tia's face was flat as she responded with a single word.

"Fire." The employee paused like he was waiting for her to say something more.

"Well if you're looking for fire we've got a firestorm special, two flame dust vials for a free energy dust." The girl's expression didn't change.

"Just, fire." There was another momentary pause before answering with alacrity.

"So what kind of fire dust do you need miss? We've got all the variants, crystals, vials, rounds…"

"I've got thirty vials of fire dust that need refills, and I hear this place has a reward card as well? I would like one of those too." The clerk watched with a mix of dismay and excitement. As she opened one of the cases revealing fifteen empty dust vials and started filling them one by one. _If she's getting a rewards card she's going to be coming back here and getting a lot of dust every time. But this girl's going to run the store out of fire dust if she shows up too often._ As she worked over by the dust dispensers she spoke loud enough for the salesman to hear.

"You know this is the fourth dust shop I've been in this semester. All the other ones aren't letting me in anymore for some reason." _That_ statement made the salesman nervous.

"Really?"

"Yeah I walked in, asked for fire dust and they threw me out something about being out of stock." The soft rumble of the rolling cases came across the tiles before she stopped by the counter, left the proper cost for the refills and left the salesman sweating nervously as she exited the place with a friendly wave. She was driven around Mistral by her adoptive parents, they didn't mind all that much because the student discount was quite high for dust. She checked the other shops she was letting restock on dust before pulling out another pair of cases full of empty dust vials. There were nervous whispers as she approached, her semblance enhanced her hearing so she could make out the conversation.

"Oh crap it's the fire girl, what're we gonna do?"

"We can't turn away a customer."

"But she'll buy out over half our fire dust and we just got restocked!" She came within actual earshot of them and they greeted her with nervous smiles.

"Well if it isn't my favorite fiery customer! Welcome back we just got restocked on flame dust for you my dear." Tia gave a smirk that stayed only for a moment before converting to a genuine smile.

"I noticed that sir, I'd like to cash in the points on my reward card for two free dust products of my choice. I'd like to refill two of my flame dust vials for free if that's okay."

"Of course." Feeling generous she decided she would come back tomorrow and then pillage this place for fire dust later. She refilled two of the vials in the case she brought with her and left the shop without another word. She could pick up a sigh of relief from the manager and person behind the counter.

Yeira was practicing with Leaping Talon in its various forms: The spooled out flail, using the grappling claw to grab and throw enemies and the fully closed trident-cudgel. She had modified the launching mechanism of the claw, instead of being spring-loaded it's now a burst of high pressure air dust, the cable was replaced with something finer and more flexible than before allowing extra mobility and speed to swinging strikes with the extended form of her weapon. She could also swing the weapon and use the claw as a weight so it hooks its own thread to lasso an enemy as well. The control of the claw was still fine with the grip and release. She spun the claw in large circles until it made that odd shrieking noise she was now familiar with. She suddenly lashed out letting the thread spool out more, wrapping around a target dummy. She followed through and swung the target by gripping her weapon with both hands the hook released sending the dummy sailing several feet before landing with a loud crash. Despite the distance the claw was launched it retracted in only a second. Yeira made sure to line up her weapon with the incoming claw. Once she almost got a black eye when the hook retracted at an angle and came whipping towards her head, but not this time. A solid clunk indicated the hook securing itself in place on the end of her weapon. She pictured any way the corrupted Pyrrha could attack her based on her imagination. Leaping Talon spun in her hands to deflect a spear that was thrown at her. She dodged and pinned the deathstalker tail beneath the claw, using her weapon as a pole-vault she swung herself and launched a kick at her attacker releasing the stinger for an instant before bringing her cudgel around in a devastating two-handed smash. _Oh yeah, this is more like it, I can't afford to be afraid, I can't let fear control my body. I will fight, and this time, I will win!_ She hefted the cudgel from a small dent she had left in the floor of the training room.

After the weapon tune-ups classes resumed normally, over the semester BYST started growing more familiar with the teams around them as the students started getting more familiar with each other. Edina started sitting and chatting with Bastille, Tia started hanging out with Shin and Qester. Members of team DHRK and AERW started mingling comfortably. Being students of a full year team DHRK initially behaved like they were above the first years poking fun and a few moments of harshness almost bullying. Winston Royard was fairly small and not all that strong, someone that could easily be intimidated. They had good fun poking, prodding, and frightening the young man of course, until Tia saw what they were doing. She spotted their shenanigans during class and shot a warning look over to her team and glanced at the bullies with a look that said 'I'm going to kick their asses, are you going to stop me?' Bastille gave her a thumbs-up and she smiled in thanks, her teeth appearing slightly sharper than usual. After leaving class team DHRK surrounded the young man and started bumping his shoulders sending him stumbling between them when Tia showed up in front of them, smiling flirtatiously. This made them pause long enough for Winston to slip out and run.

"You're Tia from BYST aren't you? What's up?" Damien said with his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Oh I just wanted to get to know some of the other students here, I've only ever really hung out with the other teams who joined first but never any of the other classmen, and I'm really impressed by you guys. You guys work as a unit so well." The leader stepped forward and nodded.

"Thanks I suppose-"

"It's such a waste." Damien and the rest of his team looked at Tia with confused expressions. They were suddenly wondering if she had just insulted them.

"What are you talking about?" Tia kept her fury at their ignorance contained tightly, she didn't want to start a spat in the middle of the corridor she'll get them to challenge her instead of the other way around.

"You're training to be huntsmen right? So what's the point of being trained to be a protector of the future if you're just going to waste your time picking on people who are just trying to become stronger, hmm? You had potential… but doing this you're just becoming obstacles for people who truly want to be huntsmen and huntresses. You guys were so strong too… maybe I guess I don't want to make friends with pathetic bullies, see ya." She turned and started to walk away she didn't make it four steps before a sharp bark went out.

"Hey!" There was a rush of fast footfalls and Tia found herself inside a semicircle. She quickly slipped out and started backing away to avoid being surrounded to prevent combat in the hallways. "You think you can get away with disrespecting your seniors and betters?" Tia kept her hands behind her back as she steadily backpedaled making sure she still had room to maneuver as her semblance scanned the hallway for obstacles without her having to turn and look.

"If I were disrespecting you that would mean you were worthy of respect at some point. Earn my respect and act like huntsmen and I'll leave you be, how's that sound?" Damien had a face like thunder while the rest of his team was fuming, Ken's semblance seemed to be near triggering. She played team DHRK like fish on a line, make them angry enough to challenge her but not angry enough to all attack her at once. With an arrogant flick of running her hand through her red hair she turned and walked away leaving them behind. Her senses still heightened to listen for rapid footfalls.

"Alright then, how about a little duel? I've seen you work with BYST you're a kind of heavy hitter and direct brawler right?" Damien called out with his voice a bit calmer than before and having a little bit of confidence. Without turning around Tia replied with a smile on her face.

"Sure I don't mind, would you mind checking to see if a practice ring is open for us to play in?" Her tone of voice was shifting, Red Dragon awakening and starting to become restless, making her mind skew into more of toying with prey than a fight, it was in a bit more of a relaxed mood than normal, almost nostalgic as DHRK went to work setting up the duel. She turned and saw her twisted reflection pace around the group, with a sharp-fanged grin, as she heard the voice of the dragon. _It's been far too long… I'm going to have fun with these fools._

 _It's gonna be just like old times at Sanctum, except now they're going to fight back far harder than the bullies there._ As they set up a time in a combat zone a teacher that wasn't doing classes at the time would be overseeing. Tia could feel her heart begin to race and blood rushing to her face and hands, little sparks of heat danced along beneath her skin. A prelude to the fire that would be pumping through her veins in the midst of proper battle. With grimm all it took was a burst of flame and only a little bit of brainpower, this would be more like what she would be facing from the half-grimm.

Hadrian Thanas from team DHRK was nominated to be her opponent. He had a pair of iron hooks on long chains, he wasn't extremely muscular, he did seem to have high agility though. He swung the hooks in slow ponderous circles, giving off strange purplish sparks when they struck the floor. Before letting the momentum die and the hooks fell into his hands in a fighting stance. The dragon inside snarled in suspicion at the odd energy coming from the weapons as the countdown to the start of the match began. _It's not dust making those weapons glow, it's something else._ The lines and conduits of flame dust filled with energy as the small shoulder guards and the spinning plate on her back produced dust for her arms and legs. The chime dictated for the battle to start.

Flames billowed from the sleeve of Tiamat and gathered in the palm of Tia's hand before surging towards her opponent in a fireball the size of her own head. _Don't want to block my own lines of sight._ The hookfighter rolled sideways and the hooks flashed out and down as they spun around his wrists and a spool at the small of his back. She changed the angle of her hand and gave a high pressure burst like a small explosion to jet her backwards, clear of the suspicious weapons. Small bursts changed her direction and unleashed a line of fire against the ground that flowed towards her opponent as his hooks retracted. _Hooks… his fighting style reminds me of Yeira a bit, except he's more open to attack when he lashes out with both hooks._ Tia darted forward to catch up to the hooks as they retracted, bringing her feet down on them hard and burying the points in the floor, successfully jamming the points of the hooks between the tiles. Hadrian tugged on his weapons a little as he struggled to get them loose. She ran alongside the chains to close the gap as the talons of Tiamat extended, blades as long as her fingers extended from the fingertips of the gauntlets. He suddenly turned his back to her and heaved on the hooks with the chains digging into his shoulders. She was about to close the gap and strike his unprotected back when a shadow fell over her. The tile had been wrenched from the floor and was being flipped to land on top of her. Adrenaline spiked and red dragon roared through her. Her talons glowed as aura filled them, in a one handed slash she cut the tile flying at her head into several pieces, one of Hadrian's hooks came flying at her, she batted the weapon away and rushed forward as she sought to close the gap. One set of talons retracted as flames started to surge from her right arm. She swung with the talons forcing her opponent to defend as her other hand brought a fireball in and unleashed a cone of flames point blank. The huntsman was launched backwards by the surging flame, Tia suddenly felt herself struck in the back by something. Suddenly pain drove her to pierce her lip with her teeth. _What...? What is that, what hit me?!_ Slightly transfixed she reached back and felt one of the large hooks latched onto something like it was stuck to her. The chain was drawn taut as it slid around to her front. It felt like something had hold of her heart and was trying to rip it from her chest. She gave a loud gasp in pain as the rest of DHRK in the stands started rooting for their teammate. "Yeah give her the reaper!" Tia noticed the hook not attached to her body, but it was hooked into her aura itself, and starting to rip a portion of it away. As the hook with the menacing purple glow pulled on her aura, the aura itself started to change color.

With a flash of panic and confusion at what the hook was doing to her she grabbed the hook by the haft and pulled it free of her aura, the massive pain on her heart ceased and she breathed a sigh of relief. Her recovery was interrupted as another hook came flying at her. The pain sparked something, fire flowed through her veins as scales formed around her hands, her forest green eyes were consumed by a furious wildfire. The dragon snarled in her mind. _He was going to STEAL from me, my own aura, my soul!_ Her aura was drawn beneath her skin as red scales became visible on her stomach in the gap of the suit, even edging up around her neck and face she charged on all fours, dodging a second hook. Her hand shot out and grasped the chain, she heaved on it. Hadrian was yanked off his feet by the force of the pull, but he had another hook in his other hand and got it ready to strike. The hook zipped by her head as she ducked low and brought her hands, palm out with retracted claws into a singular strike. It was a solid blow to his abdomen. On the screen behind them both still had green levels of aura, the blow landed by Tia cut his remaining aura in half as he was knocked back a few feet from the force and aura behind the blow. The chains still being drawn back to him he wearily placed his hands on the handles of his weapons and took a few deep breaths as red dragon circled. The purple glow on the hooks spread to the entire chain and Hadrian threw his hooks so they spun in a circle around him, except they moved like they were possessed, like they were alive, before snapping back into his grip.

"Time for some _real_ fun!" He shouted to the response of more hoots and cheers from his team. Tia's aura was very slowly ticking down while red dragon was in control so the bestial presence knew that she had limited time. He leaped towards her flinging both hooks, she swerved between them. Unknown to her the hooks started to curve midflight and latched onto each other. Purple energy flowed through the chains as they moved of their own accord being quickly reeled back in. Tia felt the two hooks crash into her back, but they didn't grab hold of her aura because of her semblance pulling her aura beneath her skin, but they were sharp and left shallow gashes despite the scales. She was pulled off balance towards him as he hopped back on one foot and delivered a point blank high kick right to the jaw of the girl. The impact sent her somersaulting out of the grapple and stumbling to land on her back, she pushed against the ground with her feet as the hooks returned to Hadrian's hands with another loud snap. "Seems my semblance won't work on you when you're like that… oh well, I'm more than strong enough to take you down myself!" She rolled backwards to her feet her pupils narrowed to slits and her mouth became full of fangs as her fury and the dragon's mind took a new turn in the middle of the fight.

 _You will not steal victory from me!_ The sharp vision of Tia roved around, she found a tile where the gap was larger than others, behaving like she was circling and being cautious she suddenly dug in her claws and heaved the tile at her opponent, leaping and following the motion of the tile. She shattered it, sending dozens of heavy tile fragments rocketing at her enemy. Tia relaxed and her aura faded from view as she moved with the fragments and the hookfighter spun his weapons to deflect the pieces that would've come too close to him. She suddenly stepped in past his guard, grabbing hold of his hooks by their hafts she raised her foot and booted him right in the stomach, he lost his grip as the blow landed and the chain spooled out some.

She brought the hooks up and turned her back heaving the chains over her head, whipping her opponent forward. Hadrian started to sail over top of Tia when suddenly the chains glowed purple and he was steadily lowered into a standing position, laying his hands upon the chains again he cracked them like a whip sending a wave through the links towards Tia. She rushed on all fours and flipped over the waves to bring her claws down. The chains crossed and entangled one of her hands, the second came down and dug into her prey. The claws rested and pressed against his aura before piercing through from the constant pressure, her sharp blades dug into the shoulder of Hadrian, finally producing an audible gasp of pain as her claws pierced his hide, the weight of the girl knocked him onto his back, casting a brief glance down she saw a small amount of red flowing from beneath her hand, identifying her target as human. The claws on Tia's other hand retracted at the last second as she laid into his aura with animalistic fury. The arrogance was gone as Hadrian could only see murder coming from the burning eyes of the dragon girl. She took down the remaining amount of his aura in only three blows, skipping the red zone of his aura entirely and a loud horn called red dragon to retreat and Tia to stand up, letting the second member of DHRK sit up, offering a hand and apologizing.

"I'm sorry, I had a bully in my life, I can't help but respond aggressively when I see it happen. I hope I didn't hurt you." The reaper accepted the hand and looked at the girl with an analyzing eye as he kneaded the shoulder where the claws pierced him, the wound had sealed itself before his aura had gotten completely demolished.

"I've never seen anything like it, you remind me of the stories of Yang I read about, but different. I sure as hell wouldn't want to be on your bad side, you could've actually killed me like that, I'm impressed by your strength and skills, I'm not going to be picking at anyone for a long time. You're terrifying, and amazing for a first year." Tia's now forest green eyes looked at the hook fighter with her own analyzing gaze.

"Now something else, what did you try to do to me with that hook? It snagged my aura and was pulling on it." Hadrian held his pointer finger so it ended just short of contact between the eyes of Tia.

"Sorry, that was part of my semblance, but the rest is a secret. If you haven't seen it in full effect, you don't need to know. At least, not yet anyway… I hope you understand." Tia nodded, often students fight each other and they want secrecy to be the edge so they keep knowledge of all their powers among themselves. With the exception of entire teams becoming friends with each other.

Outside the arena the rest of DHRK met up with Tia. Damien stepped forward after talking briefly with Hadrian and the rest of the team. "Alright, you're strong and we respect that. You are kinda right as well, next time we see that little guy we'll apologize. We were only going to have a little fun and leave him alone after a week or two, but I guess that's a bad idea isn't it?" Tia nodded and waved as they went their separate ways.

After a few steps she found herself licking the blades that had pierced her opponent. Her body needing to confirm that her opponent was a human before the shock of the taste brought her back to what she was doing and shuddered in disgust before going in to wash off her claw properly. _What the hell is wrong with me?! I might actually be turning into a monster._ There was a deep purring growl announcing the thoughts of red dragon.

 _There's nothing wrong with either of us, I sensed your doubt so I decided to check for myself. The boy is human, I am sure of it now._ Tia rested the palm of her hand over her eyes as she took a very slow and frustrated breath at the behavior and hijacking nature of her semblance. She admitted to herself that she needs to have another serious talk with her inner beast.


	21. Part 5 Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Omens

Bastille and Shin were investigating the disappearance of Jaune Arc from Patch. According to Yeira a half-grimm that looked like Pyrrha existed. Bastille dug through his memories and the disappearances started happening with people that were linked to each other, relationships people had with each other. If history was right Jaune and Pyrrha had definitely been an item through most of their years at Beacon. Jaune has yet to reappear and they were actively monitoring news feeds for where and when he popped back up. Where the knight was spotted again might give them a chance to identify where the black pools were hidden, and lead them to Salem. As they watched the feed they were having a temperature controlled argument about what they were going to do once they run into the half-grimm.

"Face it Shin, we're going to be fighting people with the durability and skill of huntsmen and the raw brute strength of grimm. We can't really afford to hold back if we run into any of them. I am certain your brother is one of those creatures I'm worried what you will do if we run into him." Shin kept his voice even in his reply.

"I'm not letting any of you kill Betram. I'll be fine with leaving him down but not out, I bet Salem is somehow guiding them and controlling them just like she did with regular grimm. I'd bet you a million Lien that if we bump off Salem the half-grimm will steadily become more human again." More data was recalled in the mind of the traveler.

"Yes, but there's also another servant in my records, it only says that she's a vampire, and anyone who met her either instantly started doing her bidding or were reduced to a dead shell of a human, whoever this is they seem to take field command of the half-grimm. The creatures might be loyal to Salem but they also obey the orders of this vampire, we need to kill the witch and the vampire and hopefully with them both dead the half-grimm don't follow any orders and what you mentioned might come to pass, I just hope for your sake the power of the vampire expires when she dies. But before we do that we need to actually figure out who she is. In the past iteration of this mission nobody that had seen her lived long enough to get her name or describe her appearance." Shin leaned back and his brow furrowed as he concentrated.

"My guess is that this vampire would probably have a few similarities to Cinder Fall, you said the vampire was a 'she' right? I've stumbled across something that might be of benefit, lemme see if I can find it again." He pulled up news articles and entered the keyword 'Zaleska' Several articles in recent years were posted. 'Zaleska Inc. Atlas mines bought out by Schnee Dust Company' A year later another article was. 'Zaleska going out of business, the third largest dust company ruined!' Shin spoke again as he scrolled further along the timeline. "And then there's this one which was brought to my mind with the disappearance of Jaune. The entire mansion in Mantle was wiped out, the tearing slashes looked like the claws of grimm and listen to this! 'One of the bodies remains unidentifiable even by blood testing and sampling for aura.' That's a husk I bet, the vampire came from Zaleska manor. The article goes on to say that with the body of Vladamir there there's no evidence of the old man's terminally ill daughter Vira. We have a prime suspect, Vira Zaleska is the vampire, the attacker was probably Salem herself and abducted the girl. Grimm don't kidnap people, and the house would've been much more torn up if grimm rampaged through the place." Bastille rubbed his chin.

"I'm impressed, you're deductive reasoning is impeccable, I wouldn't have made that connection. I don't think I would've found that article relating to Vira either." Shin felt a little pride that he was superior to the immortal in at least one way. "That also makes me suspicious that Salem might be hiding somewhere in Atlas, she might've stopped by there before going somewhere else. We'll have to wait a bit before we make any clear guesses as to where the black pools are going to be." Bastille nodded and then he took a guarded relaxation to prevent his reflex from killing someone while an idea played through his mind, almost like a dream it was so long ago. _I asked my power if I could tell Professor Deus about my mission, but that was when I thought I knew what my mission was, let's try this._ He pulled out the decision coin and asked if it would be a good call to incorporate the headmistress into their schemes against Salem. The coin landed on its edge then wavered a little bit towards landing on heads before popping up. _Ok, so it'll be beneficial, but not by much. I could at least notify her about Vira and her power._ Bastille left the room and headed for the office of Deus. He found Professor Pallas and quickly addressed the woman.

"Excuse me ma'am but is the Headmistress available? I need to speak with her." The assistant to the Headmistress looked at the young eternal and replied.

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait a bit, she's in a meeting at the moment, and she'll probably-" A ringing sound interrupted the woman and Pallas pulled up her scroll. "need my help, she'll likely be available in a few hours." She quickly sped away with fast and controlled strides. Bastille roamed around and found Tia, she seemed distracted, he couldn't let the issue of his teammate pass.

"Hey Tia is something up?" The dragon child looked at him and shook her head.

"Nothing that concerns you, a bit of negotiations with my semblance is all. I had a bit of a tussle with team DHRK." Bastille allowed himself a mental smirk as his mind spoke a joking answer. _Like the mushroom?_ Snapping back into focus he replied to his teammate.

"Well, how did it go?" She outlined the fight with Hadrian. By the time she was finished Bastille had something to say.

"Hang on a sec, Thanas… oh, I got bored and looked over the staff here, apparently there's a teacher by the name of Plutarch Thanas maybe that boy is his son?"

"That doesn't matter," Tia said with a shrug. "That haunted chain of his is scary, it grabbed hold of my aura and was pulling on it somehow. That guy might look spindly but he's as flexible as his chains and he's quick like a whip. Even the dragon had a hard time taking him on. I need to do a bit of experimentation with strategies and techniques." Bastille pondered for a second and nodded.

"If you want critique and don't feel like asking a teacher, go find Qester he's good at this sort of thing." Tia thought about it before shaking her head.

"Actually no, I was hoping I could fight you instead, you're the immortal with lifetimes of fighting, surely you'd be the best suited right?" Bastille smiled but disagreed.

"I appreciate the flattery. However, I know your legend and am well aware of what you're lacking. Engaging someone like Qester will reveal to you what you're missing, either the combat will reveal it naturally, or he'll tell you himself." Bastille was caught off guard to see his teammate pouting.

"Why can't you just tell me?" She spoke with a little bit of a whine in her voice. _What the hell? In none of my records has Tia ever been rumored to act like this._ Eons of practice had him keep a level expression as he quickly cobbled a proper answer together.

"A learning experience is better if you actually experience it, I've lived countless lifetimes, I know all about how to get experience, and I don't like it when people question my judgment." As he spoke he saw her expression change. _Oh crap, that sounded like a challenge now she'll really want to fight me._ Before she could speak he sighed.

"Alright I see where this is going, we can spar after you talk with Qester, please. If you want to fight me, I want you to be at your best and show me what a legend is made of." Subconsciously Bastille was hoping that she would listen to him. _Please you stubborn child, my info says that after sparring with Qester you developed an advanced and powerful technique that made you almost invincible on the battlefield, I don't want to risk messing it up by telling you outright, just go damn it!_

She smiled with a bit of that feral look she had when her semblance was in control. "Okay deal, but you better be ready for it." Bastille breathed an invisible sigh of relief.

"Alright, but don't keep me waiting." He left and roamed around as he waited for Deus' meeting to be finished. He looked at the clock and felt something struggling to the surface in his mind. _Oh right I've still got class in ten minutes! I really wanted to talk to Deus though. Well the coin insisted that the task of notifying Deus would be irrelevant._ Quickly he gave a rally signal to his team to attend grimm studies class through their scrolls, and soon enough he arrived at the classroom with the rest of BYST.

Professor Arty was the teacher for grimm studies. "Alright class, quick question, what is commonly the least armored part of any quadruped grimm?" A hand shot up and the student spoke almost like he was asking a question.

"Is it the rear sir?" The professor shook his head.

"Good guess, it's less armored than the front and head but there is a part more vulnerable." Edina's hand went up.

"It's the underside, any extra armor there depending on the length of the legs would slow it down and make it hard to move." Arty nodded.

"Correct Miss Hiyero, perfect examples of this is the goliath and the boarbatusk, however multi-legged grimm do not always share this trait. Deathstalkers are one example, the armor might be thinner but it would still take a concerted effort to pierce, or heavy caliber weaponry."

A diagram of a deathstalker was quickly drawn up on the chalkboard, side on. "Now… what do you think is the poorly armored spots on this creature?" Bastille's hand went up.

"It's the eyes, there isn't any armor around them, and hitting one of them causes immense pain, even enough to stagger it, although hitting it in the eyes won't result in a kill it would be far easier to take it down."

"Very good, also the base of the stinger is slightly more vulnerable, precise strikes and fire can sever the stinger. This organic weapon despite being extremely toxic to most things it is also innately hard enough to pierce the shell of the deathstalker if a strong cannonblast or hammer-like strike to the top of the skull with the stinger on top, a direct hit would be fatal to the deathstalker." Arty circled where the stinger was and drew an arrow down to the top and then drew an 'X' over the diagram over the course of his speech. "According to records that was how the legendary team JNPR took down their first deathstalker."

Class proceeded onward with the teacher asking questions and expecting answers from the students who had actually paid attention to the material in the textbook. Bastille looked over at Edina who had begun to insist on sitting next to him. He found a flash of purple-hued eyes quickly looking away from him. _Was she staring at me? Hmmm…_ he took a glance at what she was doing in the margins of her notes. She had been drawing a side-on picture that looked an awful lot like Bastille. He was surprised at the skill of the third member of CHEQ.

A small piece of ripped off paper landed on the center of her notes with a message. 'You're really good at that.' She blushed and immediately went back to work taking notes and not drawing anymore, not writing a response for the message either. Bastille frowned at the girl not writing a response to his compliment. _Oh dear, I think I overstepped, I hope I haven't upset her._ Bastille started solemnly taking notes as he mentally started preparing an apology for after class.

Everyone got dismissed and Bastille realized that Edina moved so quick that she almost disappeared. His aura activated as he took off in pursuit, his stride was casual but his pace was blinding. He caught up to her in a few moments. He called out to get her attention. "Miss Hiyero, could I talk to you for a moment?" She hesitated but nodded silently.

"Why did you leave so quickly? You left before I could have the chance to apologize for my affront towards you." Edina looked confused and flushed as she shook her head.

"Oh, no I wasn't offended, I was just reminded to pay attention by your little note, if you could tell I was distracted then the teacher would notice as well." Bastille felt confused.

"But if that was the case why did you run away? Your behavior is most strange Miss Hiyero, is there something else amiss?" The immortal knew of dozens of possibilities, he had been in countless situations like this and the outcomes had been numerous, making it impossible to quickly calculate why someone would behave like this without them revealing it to him.

"I guess I was just a little embarrassed. I just have the urge to be on my best behavior around you." _I can feel some of the pieces linking up, but I need to make sure._

"Why would you need to be so on edge? We're friends, you can relax and let your guard down around me, I won't judge you if you want to tell me something." She seemed extremely hesitant Edina also was blushing profusely for some reason unknown to Bastille.

"N-no it's nothing, well, nothing important at least." Then everything clicked into place it was a mere possibility but he had to run a test. The immortal shrugged in response and tried to see if he could solve the mystery by pulling instead of pushing against the information he needed.

"Well if it's nothing important I have something to say myself. I really like the picture you drew of me, you're a pretty good artist. I can't help but get an odd feeling ever since we met… I've grown quite fond of you, I want to get to know you a bit more personally, you are strong and beautiful, and I wouldn't be against it if you wanted to go out or something, just the two of us." Edina looked completely stunned by the statements of the immortal she flickered on her feet like she was about to be blown over by an invisible wind, or pass out. Bastille realized the latter could be a possibility and disappeared and snapped back into focus standing beside the girl with a hand on her back to prevent her from falling over. "Do you have an answer Miss Hiyero?" Her face was red like she'd been sitting in a sauna her eyes came back into focus and looked at him. Edina's face broke out of its stunned expression like the sun coming out from behind clouds.

"Yes, I'd love that." Bastille smiled and his eyes glimmered a little bit. _Hah! I knew it… that explains everything! I just needed to go about it from the other side of the question. I'm starting to relearn a bit of old social tact._ She stood on her tiptoes and quickly pecked him on the lips. There was a second of static in his mind before the proper response spun into place like a slot machine. He leaned down to the slightly shorter sniper and set a deep, passionate kiss unlike the nervous and hesitant action she had done. Internally the immortal sighed regretfully. _I can feel the instinctive urge to protect someone important to me, so I also need to focus to prevent myself from becoming irrational if she's in trouble. Statistically over my lifetimes emotionally investing in someone, the data says I push myself far harder in battle, my focus is tighter, almost like my killer's instinct. But this investment causes negative backlash to my mentality if she's killed or severely hurt. I'm taking an awful risk… I hope it pays off._

The two parted ways as they each met up with their squads for combat practice. There wasn't any sparring matches mostly engaging mechanical dummies of grimm, stubborn things that could take loads and loads of punishment but still retain full combat effectiveness. Bastille was engaging one casually, he was barely paying attention as his inexhaustible supply of aura braced his footing, increased the durability of his shield, it swung in and bashed the head of the charging ursa sending the creature flipping from its own momentum over top of him to land behind him. It landed on all fours and quickly whirled around. Bastille turned on his heel and parried one wide sweep with one claw, blocking with a loud clang on Gold Horn. His blaster gauntlet closed into it's armored striker and he parried the other claw of the ursa. He saw the creature rear it's neck back to try and snap at him with its hooked fangs. Aura flared through his temples and forehead as his own head shot forward and slammed his skull against the ursa with a gold flash of light, sending the beast staggering back.

"There are a thousand ways I could kill this thing." He said to the arena classroom aloud. "I could've shot Gold Horn forward and stabbed it in the neck or cut off its arm. I could've also blasted it before it closed the gap initially. But I know this is a test of stamina." He leaped forward and ended in a sharp skid, the ursa reared back to crush him beneath its claws and bulk, his foot shot out and slammed into one of the legs of the creature knocking it off balance and sending the thing toppling forward. Aura ebbed and flowed as freely and easily as waves on the sea, the immortal dropped and brought his legs up, then he slammed his feet into the chest of the creature as he pushed up with his back and then his arms, sending the mechanical ursa up and backwards from the force. His momentum launched him into the air, the gauntlet changed into its blaster form and fired a shot, Bastille had mentally adjusted the fire to create massive recoil, he used his aura to keep his body under control as Gold Horn made a sound like an explosion as the flat of the weapon crushed against the downed grimm. Bastille flipped off the impact of the weapon to land in a crouch by the head of the grimm.

The design of the mechanical grimm had massive amounts of shock absorption armor, the force of impacts and the amounts of aura discharged into the target would be measured in combat environs, it was politely suggested to not stab or cut the target apart. Because the students would all fight the same dummy eventually, as well as measuring endurance, or fighting a grimm strong enough to shrug off all but the most powerful attacks. Everyone was amazed at the feats of strength and agility Bastille was capable of, taking the complete force of a blow from the ursa and just knocking it's claws away easily. He pressed his far larger opponent around the arena, bashing with his shield, backhanding with his gauntlet, and shrugging off solid blows that did no damage to his aura according to the monitor. Bastille noted with a smirk at the level of green being unchanged despite a few direct hits. Aura concentrated into the palm of his hand, he dodged a swipe and gently laid his hand against the grimm. The discharge sent the grimm flying across the arena and bounced against the wall. "Can we move on? I want to see the rest of my team fight." He called out to the teachers monitoring the activity. It took a moment for Erios to tear his eyes away from the live damage feed of the mechanical grimm, and the massive amount of aura being poured into it from each strike.

"Hmmm… fine I guess, up next is Winston Royard, of team AERW." The short young man got up, one of the students next to the steps leading to the arena reached out and gave him a sharp poke in the arm as the fighter walked past. He turned and saw Damien, he didn't have that taunting grin as usual, but an encouraging one with a whisper the first year could just barely make out.

"Kick his ass!" The leader of DHRK said with a stoic thumbs-up. The smallest member of AERW felt a grin as he got ready, twin batons were produced from his sleeves as he stepped into the arena. He blocked and bashed the claws of the ursa away and landed multiple solid blows, to the head and torso, but accidentally left himself open for a second too long and got bashed by the mechanical grimm. He flipped midair and landed unsteadily, in the same instant the beast was charging him. He tapped the batons together, the weapons flashed different colors for each strike, one turned green and a burst of wind intercepted the ursa, making it stagger in the charge. He closed and struck it across the face as he stepped around and past it, the baton he struck with changed to yellow. There was a crackle and a flash as a bolt of electricity shot from the end of the baton the beast hit the ground as it was stunned by the electrical shock. It recovered after a few seconds only to be struck twice by the green baton, the baton turned red. Fire and electricity arced together and blasted the creature launching it across the floor of the arena. The small fighter lasted all of ten minutes before his aura was dropped to yellow from the constant struggle against the unbreakable ursa. The mechanical grimm paused as the voice of Erios sounded from the speaker to the arena.

"Not bad Winston, alright next… Yeira." There was part of a frustrated sigh picked up by the speaker before the microphone cut out. The 'Y' in BYST approached the stage and began fighting. The combat exercises lasted the entire three-hour lecture, among team BYST the endurance rankings went from Bastille, then Tia, Yeira, and Shin. Bastille was surprised at how long Tia could last in a battle if she was focused on outlasting an enemy, as expected Shin was a bit of a short fuse compared to the rest of BYST. Tia wondered aloud as the group headed back to their dorms as classes started to end for the day.

"What on Remnant did you do to Erios to make him so mad at you all the time?" Tia listened intently as Yeira told how she had beaten him sparring at Sanctum and how that battle actually had unlocked her aura. "Really, that's all you did to make him hate you? Wow… I understand that he'd be upset, but to hold a grudge for this long, that's getting almost like an obsession." Yeira shrugged slightly before replying to her partner.

"Yeah, but he isn't actively harassing me or challenging me to fights or something ridiculous, he treats me just like any other student… except maybe with a little more disdain than the others, but far from unfair treatment."

As the rest of the group started heading back to the dorm at the end of the day Bastille and Shin were talking in muted tones.

"So about the situation with the vampire, I don't think BYST would stand a chance against someone who can control minds. If we succeed in getting CHEQ as part of our squad maybe we should split our forces, BYST set to tracking Salem down while CHEQ goes and looks for the vampire." Shin looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean? If we don't have a defense against mind control what makes you think CHEQ stands a better chance?" Bastille's eyes narrowed as he looked at his hand, a spark of pale light was visible for an instant before disappearing.

"I'm not sure, there's some obscure detail trying to surface in my mind, I can't clarify it, maybe it was a rumor I heard the last time. I don't want to disrupt events too much by asking outright or things will change to be unrecognizable and I lose my foresight, but I think team CHEQ has something to fight the dominating control of the vampire so if we ever bring them into our little group we'll send them after Vira while BYST starts hunting Salem. But what I said earlier still stands we will likely run into your old friend and we must be cautious as to whether he's a half-grimm or not."

"I'm still not letting you guys kill him, I would beat him within an inch of his life as long as he didn't die and was given a chance to heal eventually." Shin grumbled stubbornly.

"But what about if his condition is permanent, what if there's no way to truly bring back your friend?" Bastille asked concerned for his ally. Shin sighed and with damp eyes he answered.

"I guess I would first try to domesticate him in a way. Try to convince him to be hospitable turn him towards living with a soul, but if nothing else and he stops being human entirely I guess I could do what must be done, but it would have to be me to do it… he's my friend, I'll take care of him." Bastille nodded seriously in response to his friend's wish. _I know I'm also willing to do what is necessary if my friend can't bring himself to do it, I just hope that if Shin runs into Betram by himself he doesn't forget the fact that Betram might be an enemy like last time I didn't come all this way for my friend to get killed in exactly the same way._

"You have a gift Shin, it's no semblance but it's equally potent. You can pierce the veil, there's a thin shroud of lies that covers many places, and distorts critical details but you can cut through it. These half-grimm are liars about what they truly are, this belief and assumption of ignorance from other mortals is how the world ended last time, they didn't see them coming until they were everywhere. So I trust you to keep your guard up, even around the rest of BYST. You are our spotter; you can identify the half-grimm so they can't get the first strike. But be careful… I've learned over my lifetimes that the truth hurts, a lot. Denying it makes the pain even worse when painful truth appears. So don't forget my words when you see Betram again. He was your cause of death the last time." Shin's eyes widened.

" _What?!"_ He cut himself off sharply looking around as he realized he had almost shouted his voice dropped back down to a confidential volume. " _Betram_ killed me?" Bastille shook his head.

"Focus Shin, a half-grimm using the form of your friend got you to lower your guard so he could assassinate you, I had considered holding back my warning but you're my friend so I thought you deserved to know actually why I'm so adamant about how you react when you meet your old friend. Do you understand?" Shin's eyes looked unfocused at the serious expression at his friend before nodding in a daze. Bastille noted the expression on his friend's face and noted that Shin seemed completely overwhelmed. "I'm sorry, that's what happened in the future, the future where we never met, the future where I failed what I believed was my mission. But things are different now, a different path is being burned through time who knows what will happen? There is a chance we won't have to fight Betram and after achieving victory against Salem your friend might go back to normal." Shin took a deep breath and let it out as a sigh, Bastille saw the spear fighter regain his composure.

"Alright, so the next time I see him he's gonna try and kill me, I will do my best to subdue him but not kill him, that's what I'm going to do I don't care about your opinion on the matter."

"That is all I needed to hear Shin, thank you."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Phew, college takes a lot of effort. It's starting to get a little harder to write this, I have a destination in mind. But I don't know how I'm going to get there yet.**


End file.
